But Hey, That's High School
by IaspiretobeDarcy828
Summary: Being gay. Nonexistent powers. School made specifically for said powers. Boyfriend with the son of his father's enemy. As if high school when you are normal wasn't hard enough. (AU of Sky High in which Warren and Will are in a relationship before Will goes to Sky High. Warren/Will, obviously.)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anybody.

A/N: I'm not quite sure how this is going to turn out, but after watching Sky High and finding a gay undertone like any good fangirl, I had to give it a try. This should follow the main plot, but it will be tweaked for my purpose, both because it will include what I think Will is thinking and because I can.

Chapter 1

Will slid the weights onto the bar and prepped himself. He could do this. He'd seen people without super strength do this. It shouldn't be that hard.

Maybe he would check his phone to see if Warren had texted him first.

No.

He would do this now. Before he could make up another excuse. Maybe, if he couldn't inherit his father's super strength, he could at least be strong for a human. Maybe that would at least make his father a little proud.

He laid down on the bench and wrapped his hands around the cold metal. He could do this. He let out a slow breath and pressed up with all his might to no avail. The bar didn't move at all.

He stopped, mostly because he could feel himself harming his muscles and he didn't want to think about how much Warren would laugh when he told him that he had pulled a muscle trying to bench press.

Dang Warren and his perfectly sculpted biceps.

Suddenly Will heard the stairs creak and he hurriedly got up and pushed many more weights onto the bar. It wasn't as if he could ever actually even budge the bar, but it would probably convince his Dad. He loved the man, but sometimes he was quite oblivious.

Will hurriedly laid down and put his hands on the bar just as his door opened.

"Two hundred," He announced, perhaps slightly overdoing it. "Oh, hey Dad. Just trying to get a few sets in before school."

"Low weight, high reps, right?" His dad asked, instantly crushing Will's hopes. His dad would never be impressed with such low weight. And there was probably more than Will weighed on the bar. His dad continued, unaware that he had just ruined his son's mood. "Good thinking. Don't want to bulk up."

Will resisted a snort at the very thought that he could be anything but scrawny, and nodded.

"Going more for definition," He said nonchalantly. His dad nodded.

"Big day, huh, Will? I just want you to know how proud I am that you'll be attending my alma mater and someday following me into the family business." His dad said. Well, that and the emotion he had in his voice when he said it made Will feel a little bit bad about deceiving him, so like all teenage boys, when confronted with emotion, he made a joke out of it.

"Real estate?" He asked. His dad smiled.

"Right, real estate," He repeated. "On a more serious note, son, I know that every kid thinks his dad's invincible and I nearly am, but who knows? Maybe the next time I punch a meteor hurtling toward Earth, I'll be the one who shatters into a million pieces. I guess all I'm trying to say here, Will, is it's nice to know that whatever happens to me you'll still be around to save the world."

"Looking forward to it," Will nodded, rubbing his now sweaty palms on his pants and trying not to think too deeply about what his father said, which he supposed was normal. What kid wanted to think about his father dying?

"We all are," His father said, which did not help anything. At all.

* * *

Will entered the kitchen just in time to hear his mother talking to Layla about them being naked in the kiddy pool.

"Mom!" He cried in complaint. Sure, he didn't and never would think of Layla that way, but still. What in the parent's job description said that they had to talk about their children when they were young and naked with other people? "Hi Layla," He greeted his best friend, the one person he trusted the most in the world, sitting down beside her and beginning to eat as his parents talked about their work and other embarrassing topics about him, like how his mother wanted to see him off onto the bus. He was pretty grateful to whoever had made that giant robot right now. His parents turned to leave and his father paused.

"Oh, Will, uh, a reminder. A lot of the kids at Sky High will only have one superhero parent, not so take it easy on them, huh? No showing off." His dad said. Will shot an embarrassed look at Layla, once again amazed at how his father knew that his only son had no special powers.

"Aw, Dad. Not to worry. I'll keep it low-key," He assured him. Yeah. So low-key that they wouldn't even be able to tell he has powers.

"Gotta go," His father winked before following the sound of his wife's beckoning. Will stared after them for a moment, and then turned away.

They would come home safe. They always did.

Once they were out of earshot Layla turned to punch him in the arm.

"Ow," He complained. "Don't damage the goods, Warren likes them."

"I can't believe you didn't tell him yet," Layla hissed at him.

"Are we talking about the gay thing or the powers thing?" Will asked for clarification.

"The powers thing, though you should tell him about the gay thing as well, you've only had a boyfriend for half a year," Layla rolled her eyes. "What are you waiting for, someone to out you?"

"Once again, are we talking about the gay thing or the powers thing?"

"Both," Layla said bluntly. Will sighed. He couldn't explain what was stopping him except for his fear. He wanted to make his father proud and the idea that he wouldn't crippled him with fear.

He was so pathetic. No powers and no courage either.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anybody or anything in this story. At all.

A/N: Review please! Also, I might not get the dialogue completely right, so please forgive me of my mistakes.

Chapter 2

Will got off of the bus unsteadily, trying to find his feet. Warren had warned him about the bus, but he had not said that it was that awesome. It was like taking a rollercoaster to school every day.

He stared with wide eyes at the commotion around him, tucking Ron Wilson's card into his pocket. Right in front of him a girl froze a boy and he wondered how cool it was to actually have powers.

The idea that he might not have them, that he would be kicked out of this school that he already loved, made his stomach ache. He glanced around and as if my magnetism his eyes were drawn to the corner of the school, where Warren was lurking. He glanced up and gave Will a quick quirk of his lips that I knew was as close to a smile as he got in normal circumstances, and then turned and left.

The fact that he was standing there, only for Will, made his heart warm. Maybe high school wouldn't be so bad after all.

Two boys, one skinny and the other round, approached the huddle of freshmen, smirking. They smirks were nowhere near as attractive as Warren's, Will noted.

"Hey, freshmen!" The skinny one stepped up. "Your attention, please. I'm Lash. Uh, this is Speed." He gestured to his chubbier friend. "As representatives of the Sky High welcoming committee...We'd be happy to collect that new student fee."

Will rolled his eyes, knowing full well that these guys were merely bullies and there was not a student fee. As if his mother would send him in without something he needed.

"Okay, guys. Very funny. I'll take over from here." A girl stepped up, interrupting one of the other freshman's mutterings. She was incredibly pretty, Will supposed, if one was into that type of thing. And by that type of thing, he meant girls. "Hey, everybody. I'm Gwen Grayson, your student body president. I know you're all going to love it here at Sky High. I know I have. I've just had the greatest experiences...but there are a few rules that I just want to let you guys know. First of all…" Will lost the conversation for a couple seconds as he watched Warren walk up the stairs, admiring his butt. He shook himself back to attention when Warren went inside the school and attempted to focus on the girl in front of him. "If you can remember those few simple rules, I promise you will not fall off the edge of the school. Follow me inside for orientation."

"Wait, what rules?" Will asked Layla as they followed the girl, Gwen, inside.

"Weren't you listening?" Layla asked. Will shrugged.

He never paid attention to other people when Warren was around.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anybody, or the script. I only own the little tiny changes that come with Will/Warren.

A/N: Review please. Review, review, review.

Chapter 3

Will stared up at the podium with dread settling heavily at the bottom of his stomach.

Oh God, he was going to puke.

He clenched his fist tightly together and looked around. He would not puke. He did not need this to be more embarrassing than it already was.

He was tempted to allow himself to puke, to get out of this, but he knew that this would have to happen at one point, and he really hated puking.

"All right, listen up" A man whose stature suggested that once, perhaps, he had been fit, but now was a little portly, stepped up onto the podium. "My name is Coach Boomer. You may know me as 'Sonic Boom.'" He glanced at the crowd of freshmen and Will did the same. It was very obvious that no one did, indeed, know him as Sonic Boom. Coach Boomer seemed to realize this also. "You may not." He amended. There was a brief moment of awkward silence before he regained his composure.

"Here's how Power Placement is gonna work. You will step up here and show me your power. And, yes, you will do so in front of the entire class."

Will could just feel the bile crawling up his throat. He tried to think of something nice. Like lollipops. Or Warren.

"I will then determine where you will be assigned. Hero or sidekick. Now, every year there are a few students or, as I like to call them, 'whiner babies,' who see fit to question and to complain about their placement. So let's get one thing straight. My word is law. My judgment is final, so there will be no whiner babies. Are we clear?"

His last sentence resonated, and Will assumed it was a rhetorical question.

"I said, are we... clear?" Coach Boomer yelled.

Not a rhetorical question, then.

"Yes, Coach Boomer!" Will joined the rest of the freshmen in responding. God, even if he wasn't about to show the man that he was powerless he would still be terrified of him.

"Go time!" Coach Boomer announced, clapping his hands together. He scanned the group of freshmen and Will crossed his fingers that he wouldn't be picked first. Coach Boomer pointed, and Will released an audible sigh of relief when it was not directed at him. "You! What's your name?"

"L-L-Larry," The boy stuttered. Will looked him over. Larry was even scrawnier than he was, which was a challenge.

"Little Larry," Coach Boomer mocked. "Get up here,"

"What's humiliating him going to prove? This is so unfair." Layla complained. Will snorted.

"If life were suddenly going to get fair, I doubt it would happen in high school," He said. They watched as Larry suddenly grew and turned to stone.

Definitely not fair.

"Big Larry," Coach Boomer said appreciatively. "Hero!"

A couple of other people went up, and Will felt his heart sink as his new friends were dismissed brutally as sidekicks. There were a couple of heroes that went up and they only made Will feel worse. He would never measure up to these people.

"You." Coach Boomer suddenly said. Will's breath seized in his throat. "Flower child. Let's go."

Will watched Layla go up onto the podium and felt his puke crawl higher. Where Layla went, Will would follow. That's the way it always had been, and the way it always would be.

"Uh, I believe in only using my powers when the situation demands it." Layla said, her sweet voice quiet but confident.

"Well, you're in luck. This is the situation, and I'm demanding it." Coach Boomer said, tucking his thumbs into his waistband.

"But to participate in this test would be to support a flawed system." Layla complained. "The whole hero-sidekick dichotomy only serves to…"

"Let me get this straight." Coach Boomer interrupted. "Are you refusing to show your powers?"

"It's more complicated." Layla started, only to once again be interrupted.

"Sidekick!" Coach Boomer yelled. As he looked around, Will wondered if maybe he should claim the same reasons that Layla did. At least then he would get sidekick, instead of being kicked out of the school when he showed no powers.

Will was sure that Coach Boomer was going to call on him next, and then the lunch alarm rang.

Saved by the bell.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, this world, or the general plot.

A/N: Here we are. Review please. And those who are new to my stories, I apologize for the short chapter, but that is just how I do things. If you don't like, don't read.

Chapter 4

"I tell you, Boomer will regret making me a sidekick." Zach said as they entered the cafeteria. Will followed after him, deciding that he liked Zach. Though he was full of bravado, Will could tell that he was pretty down to earth, not choked by his own ego. "All right? Someday it'll be dark, he'll be all alone, walking to his car. He'll drop his keys, and I won't glow to help him find 'em."

"You got a problem with me?" Coach Boomer suddenly appeared and Zach stared with wide eyes at him.

"Uh, no." Zach said quickly.

"No what?" Coach Boomer demanded.

"No, sir." Zach said, then repeated it, gaining confidence. "No, sir! No, sir!"

"Just messing with you, sidekick." Coach Boomer transformed back to the freshman they had seen earlier and Will rolled his eyes to hide his anger. Talk about people getting choked by their own ego.

"You're not supposed to use your powers outside of the school gym," Ethan said. Will wondered if he knew that he was only making it worse. Will was well versed with the way of bullies. Back in middle school, he had been a target of bullies. Of course he was. His only redeemable feature was that he was the son of Jetstream and the Commander, and the regular people didn't even know that.

That was how he met Warren, actually. He could remember it like it was yesterday, the first time he had met the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

* * *

_Will staggered away from the fist that had made impact with his face, wondering how he was going to explain this away to his father. If he said he was fighting, his father would ask why he hadn't just punched them in return, breaking a couple of their ribs. And Will couldn't very well explain to his father how he hadn't gotten his powers yet. _

_ "Hey," A teenage boy, probably only one or two years older than Will, stepped out of the restaurant they were behind, a bag of garbage in his hand. _

_ "Hey," One of the bullies, Harold, or something like that, said, as if he hadn't been beating the crap out of Will only a second ago. Will wondered if he should beat it now, then decided against it. They wouldn't attack him with another person right there. They were too big of cowards. _

_ "My grandmother said you need to leave or she's calling the cops," The boy said, though his voice was calm, as if he didn't care whether or not Will would be killed back here. Will glanced up and caught the boy's dark eyes before looking back down again, stemming the blood flow from his nose with his sleeve. _

_ "Fine, we were done with him anyway," Harold said. Him and his two friends stalked away and Will watched after them until they disappeared from view. _

_ "Thanks," He turned to the boy. _

_ "I didn't do it for you," The boy said. "Like I said, my grandmother wanted them to leave."_

_ "Well, you got them to leave, so…" Will sniffed, pressing his sleeve harder against his nose. The boy stared at him for a moment before he rolled his eyes. _

_ "Come in and I'll get you a paper towel for your nose," He said. Will followed him into the kitchen._

_ "I'm Will Stronghold, by the way," He introduced himself. The boy turned to look at him and Will involuntarily took a step back. Now the boy looked like he wanted to punch him as well. He looked down at himself, trying to see if he was wearing an offensive shirt or something, but all he could see was the stain of blood from his nose. He looked back up at the boy and he was rolling his eyes again. _

_ "Warren Peace," He said, turning around and continuing on into the kitchen. Will followed and then paused. _

_ Wait. __**The**__ Warren Peace?_

* * *

Layla jostled him and Will broke away from his reverie to see that he had somehow gotten his lunch and sat down with the rest of them while he was lost in his own world. He glanced at Layla and she sent a pointed look behind him. He glanced back and caught sight of Warren glaring at him.

How could someone be so attractive while glaring?

Layla raised her eyebrows at him and he suddenly understood what she was trying to say. He probably should have been disturbed by Warren's staring, not appreciating it.

"Am I crazy, or is that guy really looking at me?" Will asked the table.

"Dude." Ethan said. Will stared at him, waiting for him to continue. He didn't.

"What?" He asked, glancing quickly over his shoulder at Warren. He might have to ask him to tone it down. Will was having a rather inappropriate for school reaction to this. Glaring should not be that sexy.

"That's Warren Peace." Zach said.

"That's Warren Peace?" Will repeated, surprised at how sincere he sounded. He should get an acting award. He sounded nothing like he had ever had his tongue down Warren's throat.

"Yeah." Ethan said. "I've heard about him. His mom's a hero and his dad's a supervillain. Baron Battle."

"Where do I come in?" Will asked.

"Your dad busted his dad. Quadruple life sentence. No parole until after his third life." Ethan explained shortly.

"That's great. My first day of Sky High, and I already have an archenemy." Will said, resisting the urge to look back at Warren. With Warren looking at him like that it was almost impossible to resist kissing him, and Will did not trust himself not to jump him in the middle of the cafeteria. "Is he still looking?" He asked Layla. She glanced back.

"No." She said shortly.

"No?" Will asked.

"No." Layla repeated. Will glanced back, met Warren's dark eyes, and then turned back to Layla with wide eyes.

"I thought you said he wasn't looking!" He complained. The lunch bell rang and his stomach dropped.

It was time for this day to become the worst day of his life.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Such is the life of a fanfiction writer.

A/N: Here we are. Reviews make me give longer chapters. Just kidding, nothing can do that. But I still appreciate them.

Chapter 5

Will opened his locker; glad he remembered the number and hadn't needed to look at the schedule they had given him to find it. He didn't need any more help looking like a geek. He pulled out a textbook and shut it, turning around and nearly peeing himself when he found someone standing on the other side that wasn't Layla. The instilled manners that his mother had pounded into him made themselves aware and he stretched out his hand.

"I'm..." He started to introduce himself but was cut off.

"Will Stronghold." The girl, the same one that had spoken to them before, interrupted. Will nodded.

"Mind reader?" Will asked, trying to remember if Warren had told him about any mind readers. He had always found that talent a bit creepy. He liked to think his thoughts were his own until he decided to share them.

"No. Name tag." The girl said. Will blushed.

"Right. Uh, these are my friends." He waved towards where Zach had joined Layla, sending Layla a desperate look. Teenage girls scared him. There was a reason why he was gay, after all. Because God could tell that he did not have the courage to deal with scary girls. "That's Zach." He waved towards the tall blond.

"What's up?" Zach replied, which Will was starting to realize was his usual greeting. He turned towards Layla.

"And…" He started, but was once again cut off.

"Layla." The girl read off of Layla's shirt. "Got it. I'm Gwen."

"Hi." Layla said, waving her hand slightly.

"I love your skirt," The girl, Gwen, complimented. Layla looked down at her skirt and then smiled a little suspiciously.

"Thanks." Layla said. Gwen returned her smile for a brief moment and then turned to Will again.

"How's Power Placement going?" She asked.

"Um... great." Will lied, because he couldn't very well tell this stranger that it was quite possible the worst thing he had ever gone through and that he thought it was completely stupid.

"I'm not surprised," Gwen smiled. Will hid a wince. That was exactly the type of reaction to him that he wished people didn't have. So many people had such high expectations of him and Will doubted he would ever live up to even half of them. "I need a freshman rep for the homecoming committee..." Gwen started. Will tried to listen, but then Warren walked past and he lost track of the conversation for a couple moments, too caught up in staring at Warren's butt. It was a great butt.

"... we could talk about it over lunch." Gwen finished. Will snapped back into focus and prayed she had noticed where he was looking.

"I eat lunch." He said quickly, stupidly. He wanted to hit himself. Was he trying to make himself sound like a complete idiot?

"How cute is he?" Gwen asked Layla, which quite frankly, creeped Will out. No one besides his mother had ever called him cute. Getting no response from Zach and Layla, Gwen turned back to Will. "I guess I'll see you guys around."

"Yeah." Will agreed, although he wasn't too keen for it to be too soon. "Bye."

"Bye," Layla repeated before turning a pouting look at Will. "I don't think she really liked my skirt."

* * *

"What it actually is..." Will whispered, feeling incredibly foolish for whispering.

"What do you mean, you don't know what your power is?" Coach Boomer asked, luckily getting rid of all reason for Will to whisper.

"Well, uh..." Will stuttered, looking around for some divine help to smite him down. Coach Boomer laughed.

"I got it. You're messing with the coach. Just like your old man! Car!" Coach Boomer said, too quickly for Will to actually process before he saw a car flying at his head. Instinct had him falling flat on his back, just in time to save his life. Some of the people in the audience must have gasped, but all Will could hear was his fear and the loud pounding of his heart in his ears.

"Are you insane?!" Will shouted. "I don't have super-strength!"

"Oh, I get it." Coach Boomer said, thankfully removing the car from on top of Will. Will stared carefully at him, unwilling to trust someone who had almost just killed him with 'getting' anything. "You're a flier, just like your ma. Why didn't you say so?

"Whoa!" Will shouted as he found himself flying through the air. He slammed heavily against the wall and pain radiated throughout his body. Perhaps he wouldn't need divine intervention for him to die after all. Coach Boomer was perfectly capable in killing him.

"Quit messing around. I haven't got all day." Coach Boomer said. Will found it too hard to breathe to protest. "What's your power?"

"I don't have one." Will wheezed miserably.

"Stronghold." Coach Boomer said contemplatively. "Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide...kick!"

Yes, today was officially the worst day of Will's life.

* * *

Will moaned miserably and dumped his bag in the hallway of Warren's house. Warren's mother, Cindy, greeted him from at the oven, and Will nodded at her.

"Is Warren upstairs?" He asked. Cindy nodded and sent him a concerned look.

"Are you okay sweetie?" She asked. Will wondered what the people at school would do if they knew that Warren Peace's mother called him sweetie. Probably have an aneurysm from shock.

"Fine," He said. "Just a rough day at school."

"Well, it can only get better," She grinned. Will smiled and continued up the stairs. The Peace's house was small but homey and Will loved it. It always seemed so warm and welcoming.

He wandered down the hallway, grinning as always at the cute pictures of Warren when he was younger, and opened the door to Warren's room, going straight in and collapsing with his head in Warren's lap.

Warren shifted, pushing his book slightly to the side and his hand when to Will's hair. Will sighed, some of the tension leaving his body and leaned into the touch.

"You're like a cat, Stronghold." He remarked, nonetheless continuing his petting.

"You may not be able to call me that anymore," Will said, thinking to his earlier failure. "Not after my father disowns me for having no powers."

"It could be worse," Warren remarked idly, flipping the page of the book he was reading. "He could be in jail."

Will immediately felt bad, even though Warren had not said it to make him feel bad. That was just Warren's way. He wasn't looking for sympathy, just stating the truth.

Warren glanced down at him and rolled his dark eyes.

"You're so pitiful," He said, grabbing Will's shirt front and hauling him up so his face was even. Will met his lips evenly, happy for the first time that day.

He didn't care what other people thought. Pitiful would always be more complimenting to him than cute.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. Any of them. Disney owns them.

A/N: Review please.

Chapter 6

Will stepped into his house, hoping that his lips were not obviously swollen. He knew, if he wanted to keep his relationship a secret, that he really should have been more careful, but once Warren started kissing him all thoughts just disappeared.

"Oh, there he is!" His father stepped from the kitchen to greet him and Will hastily pulled his fingertips away from his lips.

"Hey." He said cautiously. The nurse he had visited had said that she wasn't going to tell him, but Will wasn't sure if Coach Boomer had called his father. He examined his father and decided that he would not be in such a good mood if he knew that his only son didn't have any powers.

"Man of the hour!" His father continued, coming forward to clap Will on the shoulder. Will staggered slightly and dropped his backpack. "Well, how'd it go?"

Will winced and screwed up his courage. He had to tell his father some time. And if his father disowned him, he could always go to Warren's house. They were having spaghetti tonight.

"Um, Dad, we need to talk." He started nervously. He could do this. He just had to be truthful and everything would be fine. His dad grinned, clearly not understanding what was about to come.

"You mean a little hero-to-hero talk?" His dad asked, jostling him. Will held his tongue for a second, considering. His dad was so happy. Who was he to ruin his father's happiness? "I think I know just the place. Come on."

His father pulled Will to the study, closing the door behind him. Will wasn't quite sure what exactly made the study so special, but he was willing to go with it. Plus, he needed to say this now, or his will to break his father's heart would disappear.

"Okay, so, Dad..." He started, his heart in his throat.

"Oh, this isn't the place, Will." His father interrupted him, shaking his head. He wrapped an arm around Will's shoulders and pulled him towards a closet. "This..." He said, dramatically placing a hand on the scanner."...is the place."

"No way!" Will breathed out, excited. He looked downward, past the silver poles. "The secret sanctum?"

"You know, I'll never forget my first day at Sky High." His dad related. "Your grandfather finally trusted me enough to give me the key to his secret sanctum. Course, in those days, we still used keys." He chuckled at his own joke for a second and then waved a hand at the poles. "Go ahead, son. I already added your biometrics this morning."

Will reached forward, ready to place his hand on the scanner, but was stopped by his father.

"Oh, Will, one thing." He said, his voice unusually serious. "Of course, you must never ever

bring anyone into the secret sanctum. That's why it's called the secret... sanctum."

"Uh, I would never." Will promised. His father smiled.

"Go for it." He invited. Will reached forward to grab a pole but was stopped by his father's hand.

"Oh, this one's mine, Will." His father informed him. Will took his hands off and looked at the poles, wondering how they were different. "You can use Mom's."

"Right. Sorry." Will apologized and went to the other pole. He and his father slid down at the same time and Will looked around with wide eyes.

"No way." Will said lowly, in awe. "You've got a pool table?"

"How about the pinball machine?" His dad suggested, pointing to it. Will ran to it, running an appreciative hand over the side.

"Man." He whispered. He could not believe that his parents had had all of this for ages and had never taken him down here. It was downright rude.

"Let's see." His father clapped his hands together. "Where do I start? Over here we got Mom's stuff. Uh, scientific equipment, gadgetry, whatnot." Will let go of the pinball machine and wandered past his father, catching sight of the thing that was really the most interesting. "Will?" His father looked around for him and then spotted him. "Ah, all our greatest battles. Our finest moments. Ticranium's head. Exo's number one bug-bot."

"And is this?" Will asked, pointing to a deadly looking ray gun.

"Royal Pain's Pacifier. Now that was a great day, Will. The first time your mom and I ever teamed up to fight evildoers. Soon as she came smashing through the window, I knew she was the one for me. I wish you could have seen us. We were fantastic! Royal Pain got his, and I got the Pacifier. And this is my proudest possession." His father said, his eyes alight with memories of the past.

"Oh. Well, it's amazing." Will complimented, talking more about the story than the ray gun.

"Well." His father hummed modestly.

"What's it do?" Will asked curiously.

"No idea." His father clapped him on the shoulder and then spun around slowly. "So this is it. It's all down here. Our story, your mom and me, of, well, kicking butt and taking names. But now it's time for a new chapter in the story. The three of us, fighting crime together side by side... by side. Now, what was it you wanted to tell me about?"

"Oh, um..." Will searched for a different topic, knowing that he could not tell his father the truth now, after what he just said. His eyes landed on the pool table and he grinned. "That I'm gonna kick your butt at pool!"

"Well, we'll see about that!" His father challenged, laughing and going over to the pool table. Will stared at his father, his face alight with happiness, and pushed away his guilt. His father was so happy.

How could he change that?


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They are all Disney's.

A/N: Review please.

Chapter 7

Will stared at the starry night sky, trying to rid himself of his guilt. But it wasn't as if it was a _law_ or anything, to tell your parents that you didn't have any super powers whatsoever. His musing was interrupted when a tree appeared and his best friend stepped off.

"Hey, Layla." He greeted her.

"Hi." She came and sat by him, bringing a light wave of pleasant orange scented perfume. "So where were you after school? I was worried."

"I got stuck in the nurse's office." Will explained, sighing as his mind remembered the disastrous conversation. He might end up like Ron Wilson. Not that there was anything particularly wrong with Ron Wilson, but still, he knew his father would not be proud of his son if he decided to be a bus driver. "And the news just keeps getting better and better. Turns out I may never get my powers."

"How'd your dad take it?" Layla asked. Will kept quiet, staring at the stars. They were actually rather numerous tonight, a beautiful sight, really, but they did nothing to distract him from Layla's burning gaze.

"What was I supposed to do?" Will finally broke the silence. "He showed me the secret sanctum."

"You have to tell them." Layla reminded him. Will could argue, that really, no he didn't, he could go live as a powerless hobo and never speak to them again, but he could see her point.

"Are we talking about the gay thing or the powerless thing?" He clarified. Knowing Layla, it could have been either. She was all about being _honest_.

"The powerless thing, right now, though you should tell your parents about the gay thing as well." She said, sending him another stern look.

"My parents are the greatest superheroes on the planet. Everybody expects greatness from me." Will despaired. It made him itchy, the thought of so many people having such high expectations of him.

"Well, you are great." Layla said simply.

"Thanks." Will said dryly. Both of them knew that was not the type of greatness people expected of him.

"Okay, so you're a sidekick. It's not the end of the world." Layla said. "When life gives you lemons..." Green foliage sprouted up behind her and she held out an apple to Will. He laughed despite himself.

"Make apple juice?" He suggested, watching her as she tossed the apple from hand to hand. Layla made a frustrated kind of sigh.

"I can't make lemons. I don't know what it is." She complained. Will felt a brief spike of anger. She didn't know how lucky she was, being able to complain about her powers because she actually had some.

"Yeah, but see, no." He interrupted her. "You have an awesome power. You could have made hero easy."

"I'm not into labels." Layla said firmly in the same voice she used when they were in Kindergarten and she was telling Will about how one could not use a yellow crayon to color in a whale because that was not the color whales really were. It simply said that this fact was not arguable.

"But why would you choose to be a sidekick?" Will asked. To him it seemed like someone who was given a gift but refused to open it.

"Because I think the whole thing is stupid. Dividing people into group like that. I mean what is this?" She struggled for a second to come up with the correct term, but Will had one ready.

"High school?" He suggested.

"Apple?" Layla offered, smiling. He took it and took a bite.

"Thanks." He said, his mouth full and hoping that Layla knew that he was not just talking about the apple. She smiled and knocked her shoulder against his and then laid back against the roof. Will reclined until he was next to her and stared up at the stars until she spoke again.

"How's Warren?" Layla asked. Will smiled, finding the new topic change entirely welcome.

* * *

"Morning, class." A teacher, middle aged with blond hair, stepped up to the board. "Welcome to Hero Support. My name is..." He disappeared behind a screen for a moment and then sprung out again, in a new outfit. 'All American Boy!" He sighed. "Course, nowadays I just go by Mr. Boy. But this year, it will be my privilege to help each of you become the very best hero support that you can be. Without hero support, why, there wouldn't be any heroes. All right, there probably would be heroes, but they would be very lonely. Lonely heroes indeed. And..." He made to continue on the speech that was probably meant to inspire, but all it really did was make Will sad, but was interrupted by Zach raising his hand. "Yes?"

"Uh, yeah, um, when do we pick our names and costumes?" Zach asked. "Because I call dibs on 'Zach Attack.'"

"Well, you don't get to pick." Mr. Boy explained. "On graduation day, you'll be assigned to your hero, and then he or she will, uh, decide what you will be called and what you will wear." Mr. Boy must have realized everyone's horror, because he quickly tried to explain. "I think this is mostly done in an attempt to avoid clashing colors. That's why when I was paired with..." He unfurled a poster. "...the Commander, red, white and blue it was, which for me was a very good thing because, uh, as you can see, blue really just makes my eyes pop!" He made a popping noise and splayed his fingers around his eyes. "It's very dramatic. Huh."

Will raised his hand, a sick feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.

"Uh, excuse me. I didn't know you worked for the Commander." He said, hoping that it was just a mistake and that his father really didn't fail to mention his sidekick because they were unimportant to him.

"I worked with the Commander." Mr. Boy snorted. "We were a team, Mr... Mr... Stronghold!" He looked at Will for a second. "Stronghold. You're Steve's son?"

"Yeah." Will admitted guiltily.

"And he never mentioned me to you?" Mr. Boy asked. Will shook his head slightly.

"I don't... I don't think so." He said, wishing he was a good enough liar that he could say that they had talked about him all the time and make it believable.

"Makes sense." Mr. Boy tried to regain his composure. "That makes perfect sense, because the Commander does not have time to sit around flipping through scrapbooks that I took the time to make for him. No, the Commander's got to be out there saving the world! With your mom. Your mom. She ever mention me?"

"Uh..." Will stalled, thinking. Had they ever mention him? He didn't think so, but maybe he just hadn't been listening. Luckily he was interrupted by something crashing into the room.

"Incoming!" Someone yelled. Will stared in shock at the smoke in front of him before Magenta spoke up.

"Oh, look. He does glow." She said. Will glanced back, catching sight of a fluorescent boy.

"I told you." Zach reminded them.

Great. Will really was the only one without powers.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, only the plot.

A/N: Only nineteen more days until Christmas! Not that that has anything to do with the story, but I thought it was important to mention.

Chapter 8

Despite his grumbling, Will found that he actually enjoyed Hero Support. Though it was not exactly productive, it was still easy and fun. And though, yes, Will was not your average teenager, he knew of no teenage boy who would pass by being graded on something that was easy and required little to no effort.

"Okay, number one." Ethan read from the paper. They were all sitting in Will's living room, going through the ludicrous homework and snacking on the junk Will had dug out from his kitchen. "A radioactive zombie is charging at your hero. Do you hand him: A) his silver-tipped crossbow; B) a wooden spike; C)…"

"Yo, that's so weak, man." Zach complained, interrupting Ethan. "I'm holding his crossbow. Why can't I shoot him myself?"

"Cause we're hero support." Ethan said, his voice just slightly mocking. Will agreed. He may be dense, but even he could see the failed logic in this scenario.

"And if your hero asks for a crossbow, you hand it to him." Magenta rolled her eyes, pushing a strand of fluorescent hair behind her ear.

"Or her." Layla amended. The boys nodded, knowing enough not to argue with her.

"By the way, Zach, you can't kill a zombie." Ethan reminded Zach. "You can only re-kill him."

"Or her." Layla repeated.

"If you kids are all in here, who's out there saving the world?" Will's dad suddenly appeared and Will jumped.

"Dad. Why are you home so early?" He asked, feeling panic take a strong hold on his heart. He could have sworn his dad said he wasn't going to be home until much later. He thanked God that Warren had to work and hadn't come over like they had originally planned.

"After I stopped the Superdome from collapsing, I was watching the game and got to thinking, it's been a while since Will and I tossed the old pigskin around. I thought I'd hustle back home, but I see you and Layla have already made new friends." Will dad explained, glancing around at the group of teenagers in his living room.

"It's an honor to meet you, sir." Ethan said nervously.

"What's your name, your power?" Will's dad asked.

"I'm Ethan, and I melt." Ethan explained. Will could see his father's face change, but luckily it was probably not obvious to anybody but Layla, who had spent a lot of time around his father.

"Okay." Will's father nodded and turned to Zach.

"Zach. I glow." Zach rushed to explain.

"I see." His father said in the same blank tone.

"Magenta," Magenta introduced herself. "I shape-shift."

"Shape-shift!" Will's dad said, his voice full of a little more excitement. Luckily Magenta cut in before he could get too happy.

"Into a guinea pig," Magenta clarified.

"Great. Great." Will's father said, clapping his hands. Will could just see him thinking and he was pretty sure he did not like whatever he was thinking. "Great. Great! Really great. Well! I make a mean tuna fish salad sandwich. Anybody want one? No?" He was met with a multitude of shaking heads. "Pleasure meeting everyone."

He disappeared into the kitchen and Will stared at his back before getting up and following after him. He found his father making the promise tuna fish salad sandwich and he winced at the smell. Will hated tuna fish.

"They're a good bunch of kids, Will." His dad finally said.

"Yeah." Will nodded, going to the fridge and pulling out a couple more drinks, just to do something.

"Can I ask you something, though?" His dad continued. Will nodded, praying that it would not be the one question he feared most but knew was coming. "Does that one kid really, you know, glow?"

"Sometimes." Will answered, breathing a sigh of relief that it was not the question he had feared most.

"Boy, they have really lowered the bar some for superheroes at that school since I went there." Will's father broached the topic that Will had hoped they would pass by. He winced.

"Well, actually, he's a sidekick." Will said, taking a deep breath. He knew where this was going to go, but he was tired of hiding in his own house. He had to tell his parents some time, about both things, and he knew if he didn't soon, Layla would, so he might as well do the easy one first.

"Oh. Well, that makes sense." Will's dad said, nodding like the world suddenly made sense again. "Yeah."

"Actually, they're all sidekicks." Will said, hinting. He wondered if his father would get it, or if he would have to say it out loud for him.

"Good for you, son. Kid of your stature hanging out with a bunch of sidekicks." Will's father nodded. "As a freshman? I didn't have the guts. And I can only imagine what your grandfather would have said if I'd have brought some of them home."

_Well, you can always tell him that you took one home now, Dad._

"You know, there's nothing wrong with being a sidekick, Dad." Will said, wondering if his father would argue.

"Oh, no. Of course not. I used to have one. Saved my life once too." Will's father said. Will tried to not roll his eyes. He didn't mean that there was nothing with a sidekick as a possession. "Old... what's-his-name."

"So then you would be fine with," Will interrupted his father's pathetic attempt at recollection and then paused, licking his lips. "If I was a sidekick?"

"Well, yeah, sure, I guess." His father said, clearly not really thinking. "Hey, hand me that mayonnaise there."

"Well, that's good then," Will nodded, steeling himself as he handed over the mayonnaise. He could do this. "Because... because I am."

"Am what?" Will's father asked, distracted by his spreading of the mayonnaise.

"A sidekick." Will said. His nerves were far from steady, but at least his voice and resolve finally were. He had made up his mind about this.

"Who is?" His father asked, clearly not paying attention at all.

"Me, Dad." Will said, and then continued on, in case his father really was not listening. He didn't appear to be. His face was completely blank. "Dad, I'm a sidekick, okay? I washed out of Power Placement."

"Washed out!" His father finally broke his composure. He slammed his fist down on the counter. "Boomer." He growled. "Couldn't make the big time, so now he thinks he can pass judgment on some real heroes' kids, huh? Oh, it's a power trip, Will. That's all it is. Sonic Boom? Try 'Gym Teacher Man.'"

"No, Dad!" Will protested as his father went to the phone. "What are you doing?"

"I'm calling the school." His father snarled, pounding the numbers in so harshly the phone broke. "The tuition we pay them!"

"Dad, don't." Will said, lunging forward. "Dad! It's not Coach Boomer! It's me, okay? I don't have any powers." The words lingered in the room far after they were said, but Will did not wish that he had not done it. It should have been said years ago.

"But you never said..." His father's eyes searched his face, as if he suspected that this was a joke. "I mean, you made it seem like... "

"Like I had super-strength like you?" Will supplied. He laughed without humor. "But I don't."

The two men stared at each other for a couple of quiet moments until the older one broke it.

"But you will, Will!" He said. "You're just...You're just a late bloomer! That's what it is!"

"Maybe. Maybe not." Will shrugged. The fact that his father had not said that he would love him either way had not passed by him, and it filled him with anger. People thought that his father was all that, but Layla, Warren, and his friends, they were the truly good ones. They didn't care one bit if Will had powers. "But I don't care. Because, really, the fact of the matter is I'm proud to be a sidekick." He said it resolutely, because it was the absolute truth. "Actually, I'm proud to be hero support." He corrected himself. He turned on his heel and left the room, joining his friends once again and placing down the drinks.

"Uh, so I, uh, think we pretty much covered the undead" He said without looking up. "What's next?" He looked up and found them all staring in silence at him. "What?" He asked, even though he knew that they had all heard him. They all shook their head and Ethan picked back up his paper.

"Your hero flies north at 100 miles per hour for 3 minutes. His archenemy is tunneling south at 65 miles per hour for 7 minutes. Assuming your hero has X-ray vision, how long before he realizes he's going the wrong way?" Ethan asked. Will settled down in his chair, content with the knowledge that his chest was lighter now that he had finally admitted the truth. He wasn't okay now, but with a little pretending, a little Warren, and a little bit of his friends, he would be.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or the plot. Just the lovely reviews that you all give me (hint…hint).

A/N: Two more weeks until Christmas. And thanks to all of those who have given me reviews. I love them!

Chapter 9

Will could tell that it was going to be a bad day already and he hadn't even gotten off of the bus. This morning he couldn't find the shirt that he had wanted to wear and his favorite type of cereal had been finished by his father, most likely the night before when he had been angry about Will being a sidekick. And his father still wouldn't look him in the eye because of that.

"Welcome to Sky Hi..." Ron said, swinging open the door. A long skinny arm slipped in the moment the door opened and snatched the hat off of the bus driver's head.

"Hey, big boy." Lash's taunting voice made its way up to the bus and Will felt the muscles in his neck stiffen. Dealing with them was the last thing Will wanted to do right now. "Where's your hat?" He taunted. Ron made a snatch for it and missed, as Lash's arms were much longer than his. "Hey, where's your hat?"

"If you're not gonna respect me, at least respect the hat!" Ron shouted, looking extremely disgruntled and disgusted with the two bullies.

"Oh, pfff," Speed blew off his rebuke. Will got up from his seat and made his way to the front. He wasn't sure if this would work, but it was better than just standing by and doing nothing. He had to do something. Ron had always been nice to Will and he didn't deserve this.

"Guys." He protested their treatment. "Guys, come on." He stretched his hands out and gave them the beseeching look that always seemed to wear down Warren. "Give Ron his hat back."

"All right." Lash scoffed. "You're the sidekick. Give him his hat back." He threw it into the mud puddle by Will's feet.

"We'll catch you later, Stronghold." Speed said, looking down at him. Will fought the urge to clench his fists when he met the boy's spiteful eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when he finally turned back to his friend. "Hey, race you up the steps."

The two bullies went away and Will glared at their backs as he bent down and pulled Ron's hat out of the mud for him. He shook the hat and to his relief most of the mud came off. He handed it back to Ron.

"Thanks, Will," Ron said, putting the hat back on with dignity Will wasn't sure he could have managed.

"Sure, Ron." He nodded and then stepped forward, right into the big puddle of mud he had forgotten about until that moment.

His day was turning out _great_.

* * *

Will stepped out of the lunch line and looked around for his friends.

"Over here!" Zach called. Will started to make his way towards him, holding his tray tightly and carefully maneuvering around the many legs that stood in his way. "Saved you a seat!"

He walked past Warren, and took a deliberate deep breath of his cologne. He turned dizzy and tripped right into Warren's lap, spilling his food across the table. It took him a second to realize that he had not fallen because he was dizzy but rather because somebody had tripped him.

"Uh... sorry." He said nervously. He wasn't quite sure what Warren was going to do. He couldn't very well do what he usually did when Will tripped over him, which was haul him up into his lap to kiss him. He had to react or else people were going to catch on. And it wasn't only Will who wasn't ready for his secret to be told to the world.

"You will be." Warren said, his voice deep and his dark eyes meeting Will's. Will would have been scared if it weren't for the fact that those beautiful dark eyes did not match the malice in his voice.

"Let's not do this." He said half-heartedly, then reminded himself that he needed to get into character. He pulled himself from Warren's lap and stood up, staring down at Warren. Warren stood up as well.

"You think you can do whatever you want 'cause your name's Stronghold?" He asked, leaning close to Will. Will became slightly distracted by the feeling of Warren's breath ghosting across his face and then reminded himself to focus. He searched for something to say. The only thing he could think of was his father.

"I'm sorry my dad put your dad in jail, but..." He started to apologize. He sounded sincere too. Maybe he should become an actor when he was done in high school.

"Nobody talks about my father." Warren growled. He jerked his arms and flame appeared. Will stumbled back, as always in awe of Warren's power.

"Ah! Oh, it is so on!" Will heard Lash shouted pleasurably. The crowd started to form a loose circle around him and his boyfriend.

"Fight, fight, fight!" People started chanting. Will raised his fist and cocked a look at Warren. For the briefest of moments he saw Warren's lips quirk and then he flung an intentionally badly aimed fire ball at him. Will ran, which he figured was a good response because no one else knew that Warren was not going to hit him unless it was by accident.

"Mr. Boy, do something!" Layla shouted over the ruckus, loud enough that Will could hear her as he made a break across the room.

"I'm on it!" Mr. Boy said, disappearing from the room. Will stared after his back for a second and then turned back around as Warren sent another fire ball his way. The chants continued on, loudly, and Warren's concentration seemed to be broken for a second as he sent another fire ball right towards Will. Will snatched up a tray and stopped it, staring with wide eyes as the tray melted. He ducked underneath the table and winced when he heard Warren jump on top of it. He stared crawling down the table, nearly laughing at how obvious it was that Warren was not aiming for him. Could no one else see how Warren was nowhere near getting him?

"Where are your sidekicks, sidekick?" Warren snarled.

"Right here!" Zach spoke up. Will looked up from underneath the table, his heart warming as Ethan, Magenta, and Layla stepped up next to him.

"Yeah." Ethan said. Will heard the formation of another fire ball and shifted. He supposed Ethan, Magenta, and Zach didn't know that Warren wasn't actually going to hurt them so he probably should react.

"Leave them alone!" He said, pushing up on the table. He was only hoping for it to jostle Warren, but he suddenly found the whole table lifted up.

_What? _

He looked around, his stunned eyes meeting Layla's. Was he doing this? Him?

"He's strong!" Layla said, sounding just as surprised as Will felt.

"_I'm_ strong?" Will asked. There really wasn't anybody on the other end of the table holding it up.

"He's super-strong." Gwen said appreciatively. Will shifted uncomfortably and then, too late, remembered that he was holding a table. The table, and Warren, went flying across the room. Will stared at the whole he had made, fighting the urge to go see if Warren was okay.

"Yeah, Will!" Ethan cheered. Will turned away from Warren's hole and looked at Lash and Speed.

"Now, who tripped me?" He asked. Now, on them, he wouldn't mind using his newfound strength. He took a step forward and was interrupted as people gasped. He turned around and watched in relief as Warren picked himself out of the wall.

"Stronghold!" He shouted, pushing a piece of his hair out of the way. "Think I can't take a hit?" Warren started coming towards Will and Will looked around, panicking. It didn't look like Warren was going to stop. Was he really angry at Will? But he had to know that Will hadn't meant to throw him, didn't he?

"Will!" Layla screamed. She tossed him the fire extinguisher and Will hurriedly read the back, trying to figure out if this would hurt Warren if he sprayed him with it. Sadly, it had no details about the consequence of firing it at your flaming boyfriend. "Will! Pull the pin!"

Will did as they said and sprayed Warren with the fire extinguisher, wincing at the smell. Warren really was going to kill him if that smell didn't come off easily. He turned around to look at his friends and was met with the sight of Principal Power.

"Hi." He greeted her sheepishly.

* * *

"I didn't do anything, though. He started it." Will complained, sitting at one of the two desks in the white room. Warren glared at him, lurching forward.

"Your dad started it, and I'm gonna finish it." He growled. Will flinched away from the chemical smell, watching with wide eyes as Warren attempted to start his fire. It didn't work and he felt himself panic a little. Had he injured some part of his brain that had cut off Warren's ability to use his powers?

"Don't bother." Principal Powers said calmly. "The Detention Room neutralizes all super-powers. Sit. Now, here at Sky High we do everything we can to teach you how to use your powers. But what you do with them now that's up to you. Living up to your father's reputation or trying to live it down is a sad waste of talent. Your talent," She said. She turned towards the door. "Try to keep that in mind the next time you're about to do something stupid."

Will stared after her back until the door closed and then lurched out of his seat, going to Warren's side.

"Are you okay?" He asked quickly. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to throw you, I mean, I didn't even know I had powers, but now I do, and the first thing I did with them was to hurt you, and oh my God, I am sorry. Are you hurt? I am so sorry."

Warren's shoulders were shaking and for a second Will truly thought it was from fury, but then he realized that Warren was laughing, a deep melodious sound that Will didn't hear often enough. Will laughed in relief.

"You are okay though, right?" He checked. Warren wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him up into his lap, which was slightly awkward, given the desk they were sitting at, but Will was not about to complain.

"I'm fine, calm down," Warren said, rolling his eyes.

"Good," Will said. He stared at Warren for a moment before something truly sunk in. "Warren, I have powers. Me! I have powers!" He felt giddy with excitement and the feeling only increased as Warren met their lips together.

Well. Today had started out bad, but the end was certainly something Will could live with.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Disney owns them all.

A/N: Less than a week until Christmas! Woo-hoo! Happy holidays to all! This one is a little shorter than the rest because if I continued on it would be a couple more pages on word and I don't have time to do all of those, so you're going to have to suck it up. Review please.

Chapter 10

Will rushed up his driveway, feeling immensely glad with himself. Not only had he gotten his powers today, he had also had an hour make out session with Warren. During school hours. There was nothing better than not having to do work and instead kissing Warren.

He jogged forward and pulled the door open, wincing when the door came off completely. He really would need to readjust himself before he broke everything in the house. Perhaps he would have to ask his dad for some tips. He carefully set the door back on and flinched when he heard a throat clear behind him. He turned around slowly and faced his mother and father.

"So, Will, anything interesting happen at school today?" His mother asked. Will glanced back at the door and then at his parents. Why were they so angry? It was just the door. He was pretty sure that his father had broken many doors in his time.

"Uh..." He rushed forward. "Well, as you may have noticed, I got my powers today!" He announced happily, lifting his mother up around the waist. It was startlingly easy, making Will wonder if he could lift Warren that easily.

Because Warren would _love_ that.

"Yes, we know." His mother said, and for a brief moment Will seriously thought she had read his mind and she knew about Warren's obvious distaste for being picked up. He lowered her down and she continued, her voice very displeased. "The principal called."

Oh. Well, that explained her attitude certainly more than her reading his mind about Warren.

"Okay." He said nervously. " Look, it's not..." He struggled to find what it was not. He wasn't quite sure where he was going with this, but he knew it better be good, or else it was going to be hard to get out of this one. He did nearly wreck the cafeteria, after all. "It's not as bad as it sounds. It's a really funny, great story." He tried to romanticize it, even though he knew there really was nothing funny about it. Well, it would probably be funny to his and Warren's grandchildren, but Will doubted that his parents would get the same amusement from it as his currently nonexistent grandchildren.

"You nearly destroyed the cafeteria." His mother said, her tone disapproving. Her tone was like venom, killing Will's good mood instantly.

"Yeah, but, Mom..." He complained, trying to salvage his good mood before it completely escaped him. "I got my powers!"

"And do you know how to use them wisely?" His mother asked coldly. Will watched sadly as his good mood floated away in the wind. He glanced at his dad. Surely he would be proud. After all, the one thing he wanted in his son was for him to have powers.

"Sanctum. Now." His dad said, just as coldly. Will felt his hope disappear as he followed his dad silently into the sanctum. With everyone mad at him the pole didn't seem as much fun, he noticed. His dad walked silently to the middle of the room and then spun around.

"William Theodore Stronghold..." His dad said threateningly. Then his dad's arms swung wide. "Come here!"

"You're not mad?" Will cried, going into his father's arms willingly. It was hard to remember last time his father had hugged him like this. It had to be at least a year or two.

"My boy has super-strength!" His dad said proudly. "How can I be mad?" Will hugged him a little bit tighter in gratitude and his father returned his favor.

"Ow!" Will said as his father's arms pressed a slightly bruising pressure against his ribs.

"I'm sorry." His father said. Will tightened his own arms, smiling when his father reacted identically to him. "Ow! You are strong!" His father said proudly. Will grinned bashfully, though he couldn't keep his excitement out of his voice.

"Yeah." He said.

"If your mom asks, you tell her I read you the riot act, and..." His father paused for a moment dramatically. "...I took away your Xbox."

"But I don't have an Xbox." Will said confusedly. How could his father take away something he didn't already have?

"Are you sure?" His father asked, spinning the black chair that was Will's favorite around. Will suddenly understood and he leaped forward, seizing the brightly wrapped present. "Open it up!"

Will ripped the paper open quickly, revealing the highly technological gadget, and set to work with his father on putting it together. Strong they were, but good with technology they were not. A warm glow was starting to settle over Will, produced from his father's company and approval. It felt good to not be in front of a disapproving stare as he had been for the last week.

"I want the blue controller." His father requested, handing Will the other one. Will pressed on a button and then settled down next to his father on the couch. They fumbled through a couple games, Will's happiness only increasing.

And then suddenly his good mood disappeared, just as he was jumping over an object in the game. He had just thought of something that was both incredibly true and depressing.

His father was happy with him again. Will's lack of power was gone, taking with it his father's disapproval. But what happened when his father was disappointed in him because of something that he could not fix? Something that he was born with and he could not get rid of?

Something like being gay?


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. I don't even own half of the stuff they say either, so it truly is not mine, like, at all.

A/N: My apologies for no chapters last week. We were in New York City and there was literally no time for writing. At all. It was quite a busy trip. But it was fun. I hope you all had as good of holidays as I did. Review please.

Chapter 11

Will and his friends entered the classroom, backpacks slung over their shoulders. Will was still glowing with his success from yesterday and not even the fact that he was back in high school could stop his happiness.

"Dude, you made sidekick history!" Zach said, clapping him on the shoulder. Will was pleased to notice that he didn't even stagger one bit now, though he did blush at the praise.

"Aw. I don't know about that." He said, trying to brush it off, though he did feel rather good about his success. Not because he wanted to prove to other people that he was great but because he was happy to finally have his father's approval again, even if it was for a little bit.

"No, seriously. From now on, people mess with us at their own peril." Ethan agreed.

"You're breaking down barriers, proving we're not heroes and sidekicks." Layla agreed. "We're just people."

"Super people." Will corrected, though he did like the idea of living in a world where there was no classification of heroes or sidekicks.

"Seats, please." Mr. Boy requested, looking bright and chipper as always. "We have a lot to cover this morning, starting with motorcycle sidecar basics." He clapped his hands excitedly and then his gaze fell on Will and his expression changed. "Uh, except for you, Mr. Stronghold. Would you gather your gear and come up here, please? I've got your new class schedule."

Will went forward hesitantly, taking the piece of paper from him and holding it with limp hands. Why was he getting a new schedule? He was rather happy with the one he had now.

"Congratulations. You've been transferred to the Hero class." He said. "Oh, and by the way, if you should find yourself needing any hero support, I still do a little freelance."

"But what about them?" Will asked numbly, gesturing towards his friends, who were all looking at him.

"We'll see you on the bus." Zach said.

"We'll hang at lunch." Ethan assured him.

"Right after you've dunked Ethan's head in the toilet." Magenta muttered. Will looked back at them and then directed his lost gaze towards the teacher, who gaze softened when he saw Will's hesitance.

"Well, you best not be late." Mr. Boy said gently. Will nodded and went to the door, glancing back one last time. His eyes connected with Layla's.

"Just go already." Layla said, waving her hand. Will went to the empty hall and glanced down at the schedule, finding the room number and heading that way. He knew he should have felt excited, but all he felt was numb. And a little disappointed. All his friends were in classes that he would no longer be in. And it was doubtful that he would have any classes with Warren, because even though he was a hero, he was also two years ahead of Will and freshman and juniors rarely had classes together. He went closer to the door, where he could hear the teacher's voice spilling out.

"Rays!" He announced. "From the silliness of the shrink ray to the devastation of the death ray. These are the very foundations of Mad Science."

Will stepped into the classroom and all eyes turned to him instantly.

"Yes?" The teacher said, almost as if on instinct. He looked up and recognized Will. "They told me you were coming. Unfortunately, all the lab partners are taken. I suppose I could pair you with my teaching assistant."

Will followed his hand and found Gwen at the other end. He suppressed a shiver. The girl still freaked him out. He sat down next to her uncomfortably and started on the assignment.

Twenty minutes later and Will was well and truly lost. He could barely work the TV, never mind make a ray. The teacher wandered around behind him, brutally degrading the student's work.

"That's great…if you're building a heat ray." The teacher said, loud enough for Will to hear. His palms got sweatier as he stared at the pieces in front of him. "You're supposed to be building a freeze ray."

"Okay, I have no idea what I'm doing." Will finally admitted, looking at Gwen. It was the first time he had spoken to her today and he still didn't raise his eyes to meet hers. Scary, scary girls. He didn't even want to talk to her, but he had to do something, because the teacher was closing in.

"Dreadful technique. You've confused rays with beams!" The teacher shouted, sounding even closer. Will flashed a desperate look at Gwen and she waved her hand quickly. To Will's surprise the ray assembled itself swiftly. "D! Minus! I'd give you an F, but that would only mean having to see you in summer school."

Will clenched his fists as the teacher approached from behind him.

"And what have we here?" He asked.

"Uh...Well, I don't know. I didn't do it." Will said truthfully, fearfully glancing up at the man. He didn't seem to be entirely stable.

"You're far too modest, Mr. Stronghold." The teacher said, picking up the ray. He aimed it at a student and actually fired. Will's eyes widened. "Or perhaps not modest enough. Miss Grayson, in the future, please allow the students to succeed, or fail, on their own."

Gwen nodded and Will waited until the teacher left before turning towards her in amazement.

"How did you do that?" He asked. Was it something he could learn? Because that would be amazingly helpful.

"I'm a Technopath. I can control technology with my mind." Gwen explained.

"Wow." Will said appreciatively. "All I can do is punch stuff."

"Yet he'll be the one on cereal boxes. Show me the justice in that." The teacher muttered as he passed them once more. Will pursed his lips. It was true, after all. He really wasn't anything special. He just wished other people would stop treating him like he was.

* * *

Will spotted his friends and stood up.

"Guys! Guys! Over here." He called. He saw Warren raise his head and steadfastly did not meet his gaze even though he desperately wanted to. His friends came towards him and Will wished he could have hurried them along. He was not exactly comfortable sitting with all of these people around him. He felt like he was chum in a circle of sharks.

"Sorry." Lana said as soon as they were close enough to hear. "All full."

"That's okay," Layla said, trying to regain composure. " Uh, I think I see empty table over there. Come on, guys."

They walked away and Will watched them go, feeling as though they had just abandoned him to the sharks. He wanted to call them back, or go and sit with them instead, but Gwen's fingers were clutching his shirt sleeve, like claws holding him in place.

Oh well. He'd just spend the rest of lunch staring at Warren.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, nor the scenes that they are in.

A/N: I don't really have anything to say here other than review, review, review.

Chapter 12

Will spotted the person he was looking for and rushed forward through the mob of high school students.

"Layla!" Will called out, pushing through the leftover people between him and his goal. Layla stopped and looked up, waiting for him.

"What's up?" Layla asked as Will finally made it to her. He wound his arm through hers in an effort to stay together as they made their way to her locker. Will sniffed.

"Hey, you smell nice." He noticed. Layla rolled her eyes and opened her locker.

"Tecomaria capensis." She explained, gesturing to the plants that were growing wildly in her locker. She pinched off a flower. "Honeysuckle?"

Will took it and sucked on it for a second before remembering why he had needed to find her.

"Listen. About lunch..." He started. Layla laid a hand on his arm, interrupting him.

"What about it?" She asked, in the way that told Will she was trying to act casual but had really been hurt by it. After having spent his whole life as friends, he was very well experienced in deciphering Layla's moods.

"At the table, Penny was being..." Will searched for a word that could probably express his fury without saying a word that would have resulted in his mother washing out his mouth if she had been there.

"Please." Layla snorted. "Not a big deal."

"No, it is, and I feel bad, so let me make it up to you." Will ordered. Layla stopped talking and stared at him with her little amused smile. "Maybe tonight we can go to the Paper Lantern?"

"But you hate Chinese food." Layla protested. Will smiled, the same smile he used when he was five years old and trying to get her to forgive him after he had drawn a mustache on her doll in permanent marker.

"But you don't." He said simply. Layla smiled, a true smile, and Will felt a rush of happiness that always came with knowing he and Layla were back on track.

"Paper Lantern." Layla agreed. Will nodded and closed her locker for her.

"Will!" His name was called and Will looked around wildly, catching sight of Ethan just as Lash and Speed pulled him into the boy's bathroom. Will rushed after them, feeling his happy feeling disappear as he pushed open the door and heard Ethan protesting.

"No, guys!" Ethan begged, holding on with white knuckles to the door frame.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey!" Will said, holding his hands out passively. Zach, who he hadn't even noticed following him, pulled Ethan out of Lash's and Speed's surprised lax grip. "Easy, guys."

"Thanks, Will." Ethan said, his voice filled with gratitude.

"You okay?" Will asked without taking his eyes off of the hostile bullies in front of him.

"Yeah, thanks." Ethan said, straightening his shirt.

"Come on." Lash said in disgust, pushing his way out of the bathroom. Will felt a rush of relief that they were just going to leave without a fight. He did not want to get into a fight. Fights were only fun when they were with someone you knew wasn't trying to hurt you (cough…cough…Warren).

Sadly, Zach had to open his big mouth.

"Not so tough when my boy's around, are you?" He asked, his voice purposefully challenging. Lash and Speed turned around, menace clear on their face.

"You just think you're so big and bad, huh, Stronghold?" Speed asked, even though as far as Will could tell, he hadn't even said anything to them.

"No, I-I don't." He assured them.

"Please!" Zach crowed. "Will will totally take you."

"You saw what happened to Warren?" Ethan asked. Will decided not to mention, wisely, that he had spent the hour after fighting with Warren kissing him better. He doubted that would inspire fear into their hearts.

"Watch it, Stronghold. That big mouth is gonna get you in trouble." Lash warned, though Will still hadn't opened his mouth.

"I didn't say anything." Will protested innocently.

"Why not settle this in P.E.?" Speed suggested, as if Will had just said something highly offensive and challenging that warranted a fight. Before he could say anything though, his lovely, lovely faithful friends were jumping in.

"You're on." Zach said. "If Will beats you in Save the Citizen, lay off sidekicks for the year. And if he loses, you can dunk Ethan in the toilet every day till graduation."

"Yeah!" Ethan agreed, and then realized what Zach had just said. "Huh?"

"You got yourself a deal." Lash said, doing exactly the opposite Will had wished he would do.

"Wait, guys, guys." He tried to defuse the tension and get him out of something that he didn't even want to be in in the first place.

"Bring it." Speed said, before turning around on his heel. Lash sent Will a last venomous look and followed. Will turned to his friends.

"Come on! Guys, are you crazy?" He asked. "No freshman ever won Save the Citizen, and those guys are undefeated!"

"And you barely know how to use your powers!" Zach added. Will sent him a look and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. Not helping."

"Will, you have no choice." Ethan said. Zach nodded solemnly, as if Will winning Save the Citizen was going to change the world.

"You can't let them dunk Ethan's head in the toilet. Not again." Zach said. "The dunking must end."

Sometimes Will hated his friends.

* * *

"Five! Four! Three! Two! One!" The crowd chanted as the clock counted down. There was a horrible crunching sound and the dummy was pulverized.

"Ramirez! Hamilton! Your citizen has just been mulched because you failed to defeat your villains." Coach Boomer announced. "Next round. Speed, Lash, you want to be heroes or villains?"

"Villain." Lash said immediately. Will wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and figured that he wasn't the only one who wasn't surprised.

"Ooh, there's a surprise." Coach Boomer said, and Will realized with horror that he was starting to think like the man. "Who do you want to beat next?"

"All right." Speed rubbed his meaty hands together. "We'll take little Stronghold and, uh, let's see..." He trailed off, obviously trying to find the worse person to pair with Will. Will felt his stomach drop. God, if they paired him with some unexperienced person, there was no way he was going to be able to win.

"And we pick Peace!" Lash suddenly announced. Will knew that everyone was expecting him to be disappointed, so he tried to make his face seem like that was what he felt, but really all he felt was relief. Warren would definitely be a big help.

"Hothead, Stronghold, you're the heroes." Coach Boomer announced. Will got to his feet and climbed down into the arena, standing beside Warren. He looked around, staring with trepidation at all of the people staring back at him, and Gwen waved at him.

Will shuddered in horror.

"Hey! Get your head in the game!" Warren chastised him, glaring at Gwen. Will realized in amusement that he was _jealous_.

"You have three minutes to immobilize your opponents and save the citizen!" Coach Boomer announced. The citizen, as if by cue, starting squealing. Will instantly found it annoying.

"Ready! Set! Battle!" Coach Boomer announced. Will glanced at Warren, wondering what exactly he should do. Should he just storm to the citizen.

Will was suddenly flown backwards, crashing roughly on the ground. He groaned in pain, rubbing his jaw. A quickly glance towards Warren told him that he the same treatment. Warren got to his feet and Lash wrapped his arms around him.

"Ha! What now, Peace?" Lash shouted across the arena. Will attempted to stand up and quite possible break the boy's arm, but then decided against when he was thrown backwards again. Warren flared and Lash pulled back his steaming arms.

"Hey! Coach, that's a foul! Call something on that!" Speed shouted. Warren sent another fire ball at him and Speed lurched out of the way. Warren followed him closely with fireballs, though Will wasn't entirely convinced that the fire ball that made its way to Coach Boomer had been an accident. Will focused on trying to save the citizen, but suddenly a loud gasping noise filled the arena and he looked over in horror at Warren.

"The vortex sucks away the oxygen. No oxygen, no flame." Will heard someone says, as if the voice was magnified. God, was Warren choking?

"Come on!" Someone yelled from the audience. Will glanced at the citizen and then at Warren, making his decision. The citizen was annoying any ways. He made his way towards Warren, hitting the floor just before Lash was on him again. Will grabbed him and tied him to the pole, before making his way to Warren. He timed it just so and grabbed Speed, whose legs continued to move as if he was still running. Will aimed him and released, hoping that his plan worked as he wanted. Warren looked up with grateful eyes, gasping for air, but Will wasn't done. The crowd chanted, but Will paid them no mind as he focused on what he was doing.

"Hold on," Will said, picking him up from the back of his armor and sending him forward. Warren snatched the citizen, catapulting over the spikes, and landing on his back.

"She's alive!" Coach Boomer announced. The crowd erupted in cheers and they all crowded around him, but all Will could see was the little proud smile on Warren's face that was directed at him.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. All rights go to Disney.

A/N: Review please. Also remember that this is an AU, so this will progress a little differently than originally. I also don't even remember how this scene took place, so sorry if it progressed wrongly in the terms of the movie. And this is a boring chapter. Sorry.

Chapter 13

Will stared at the counter, trying to seem like he was paying attention even though he wasn't. This was not exactly how he had planned on spending his night. He was supposed to go to Red Lantern with Layla, the one girl who didn't scare him silly, not be spending a night with his mother and Gwen Grayson, who looked at him like he was a meat that she wanted to eat. His phone was in his pocket, where it had been ever since he had texted Warren and asked him if he could keep Layla company while he was otherwise detained, and he wished that it would chime, give him a distraction other than Gwen's and his mother's chattering.

"Where's my boy?" The door slammed open and Will's father arrived in all of his usual glory. "Will! Will!"

"Yo, we're right here!" Will called, leaning back in his stool. His father came into the kitchen and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I just can't believe you won Save the Citizen as a freshman." His dad said, his hands warm and proud across Will's shoulders. "That's never been done before! And you topped Mom's best score on the pinball machine? Get outta here!" Will glanced up and say that his dad had finally realized that Gwen was in the room.

"Hey. Oh, uh, Dad, this is Gwen Grayson." He introduced, gesturing towards the girl. "Gwen Grayson, this is Dad."

"Mr. Stronghold, it's such an honor." Gwen said, nearly gushing. Will watched in amazement. It always amused him how quickly people changed in front of his parents, in awe of the superheroes that saved the world. "I'm sorry to barge in like this."

"Oh, not at all." His dad said, brushing her apology aside flippantly. Will wondered suddenly if if he brought Warren home his father would as gracious.

"Honey, Gwen is a Technopath, and she's offered to help Will with his science homework." Will's mom told her husband, looking up from where she was chopping various vegetables. "And she's a senior."

"We said we'd work on that antigravity stuff tomorrow, but something came up." Gwen explained. "Any chance we can do it tonight?"

"Sure." Will's father said, not even bothering to consider that Will might have had something else to do tonight.

"Yeah. On one condition, Gwen. You join us for dinner." Will's mother said. Will wondered briefly if they thought that he didn't have a social life at all. Well, okay, normally he didn't, but he actually had something to do tonight. Will crossed his fingers, hoping that Gwen would say that she was busy and that she would leave and he would be free.

"Oh, no, I couldn't intrude." Gwen said. Will sighed in relief. But then his parents had to speak up.

"Oh, yes, you can." His father assured her.

"You must." His mother agreed. Will resisted the urge to groan. Why couldn't they just let her leave? She was creepy and Will did not find her company delightful. If only one of his parents had telepathy, and he could tell them.

But then again, if one of them had telepathy, they would know all about Warren.

Perhaps it was for the best that neither of them had telepathy.

"Okay. Well, thanks." Gwen said. She looked at Will. "So should we get started?"

"Certainly." Will said. He fingered his phone, his last salvation, but sadly it stayed quiet. And he was stuck with this she-devil.

* * *

"So there we were, in the middle of nowhere, and she's like, "I can't change a tire! I can only change the weather!" I'm like, "Can you at least make it stop raining?"" Will's dad regaled. Gwen laughed and Will stared off into space. Now, if he had been with Layla right now, where he was supposed to be, he would have definitely been having fun. Maybe Warren's grandmother would have even let him off early and they all could have gone out and found something else to do, like bowling. Warren was terrible at bowling, which always made Will and Layla laugh, because he got so frustrated. Once he even melted a bowling ball, when Will had won by over a hundred.

"So, Gwen, do we know your parents?" Will's mom asked. Gwen set the cup down she was sipping from and stared at them.

"Mmm. I don't think so, Mrs. Stronghold." She explained. "Dad went inactive a few years ago."

"Lets Mom do all the work now, huh?" Will's dad asked. Gwen frowned.

"Mom passed away when I was a baby." She said. There was an awkward moment of quiet in which the silence was loud enough that it made Will snap out of his day dream and pay attention. Gwen finally took pity on them and spoke again. "So I did have an ulterior motive in coming here tonight." She admitted. Will clenched his fist and resisted the urge to shout that he knew it.

He knew girls were evil.

"Did Will tell you I'm the head of the homecoming committee?" Gwen continued.

"Uh, he most certainly did not." Will's father said, shooting a hard look at the boy in question. Will gave him an innocent look. How was he supposed to know that his parents should have been told that Gwen was on the homecoming committee?

"Well, I was wondering if you'd consider attending the homecoming dance." Gwen said, smiling at them.

"We would love to chaperone, sure." Will's mom said.

"That's very nice, Mrs. Stronghold, but no. We were hoping that you'd be the guests of honor and receive the award for Heroes of the Year." Gwen told them. Will's parents beamed at her. They were clearly besotted.

But that still didn't convince Will that she wasn't evil.

She was a teenage girl, after all.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Disney owns them all.

A/N: Please remember that this is AU. So some things will be different. I'd also like to address that some people wish for a rather detailed make out scene, but that will not be happening. It is a Disney movie after all, and being only fifteen and having never kissed someone, I don't really think such details added to the story is necessary. Sorry if that angers anyone. Review please.

Chapter 14

Will had to admit that although right now he was not doing what he had wanted to do, he was still having a rather good time. It had nothing to do with Gwen, however. She was just a nuisance to what would have been a very fond family memory.

"Oh, look, hon." Will's dad pointed out, tapping a picture in the old year book. The pictures were black and white, which cracked Will up. His parents were so _old_. "There's... What's his name?" His father snapped his fingers as if that would make his brain neurons start firing quicker. When that didn't work he turned to his wife. "Kid with the gravity."

"Lance, I think." Will's mom said, smiling as she leaned over her husband's shoulder to look at the pictures. "Lance something."

"Yeah." Will's dad nodded. He flipped the page, seemingly done with Lance the kid with the gravity, and smiled.

"Oh, my gosh, look." Will's mother said. Her slender finger pointed at a single picture. Will leaned closer to see, even though it put him closer to Gwen.

"There's Boomer." Will's dad nodded, chuckling.

"He had a mullet?!" Will choked. He would never be able to look at the man the same way again.

"Oh, God." Gwen giggled. She had an irritating laugh, Will noticed. Nowhere near the sweet tone of Layla's or the soothing baritone of Warren's.

"Oh, whoa-whoa-whoa." Will's dad said. He pointed to a picture and Will looked at it. He recognized Professor Medulla, looking much younger, surrounded by a couple other people who looked almost as smart. Will's dad put a finger on the chest of one of the girls in the front. "Remember her?"

"Hmm?" Will's mom asked, placing her wine glass back down again. She glanced at the picture and smiled. "She was a weird one."

"Oh, yeah." Will's dad agreed. He turned to Gwen, adopting the air of someone about to tell a story. "Sue Tenny. Disappeared right before graduation."

"Why is that?" Gwen asked, sitting up. Her posture was tight, straight, as if she was being interrogated.

"No one ever really knew." Will's dad admitted.

"Some say she was, uh, recruiting villains at the school. Others say she was smoking in the girls' room." Will's mom shrugged. "Nightmare."

"All right, now." Will's dad said. "Speaking of villains, there's one of the worst."

Will felt his stomach clench, praying that the one of the worst he was thinking about was not the one of the worst that his father was talking about.

"Baron Battle." Will's father continued. Will sighed.

"Warren's dad?" He asked, pretending s if he had not heard stories about the man, about how he had hurt Warren and his mother. As if he hadn't dreamt of hurting the man, because he had raised a hand to Warren when he was only a kid.

"Always swore he'd have his revenge on me." Will's father nodded.

"Do… do you think that his kid is as bad as he is?" Will asked hesitantly. Will's dad sighed, stroking his chin.

"It's likely," Will's dad said. "I mean, he did start a fight with you and the apple never falls far from the tree. He comes from a bad family, Will. Really bad."

Will clenched his fist and resisted the urge to yell at the man. He had been the one who asked, after all. And there was no way that his father would know about how absolutely brilliant Warren's mother was, or how Warren pretended to be irritated and heartless but had spent afternoons simply cuddling with Will on the couch as they watched Disney movies when Will was depressed with his lack of powers.

"And he totally stole the lead in Oklahoma!" Will's dad protested. It took Will a second to realize that he was talking about Baron Battle and not Warren.

"You have to stop caring about that." Will's mom said, rolling her eyes. "It was a long time ago."

Will's dad continued to argue his point, but Will hoped it was all just a show. He prayed that his father would be able to let go of something that happened so long ago and accepted Warren when the time came.

* * *

"You didn't have to walk me home." Gwen said, glancing at Will. Will shoved his hands in his jacket pocket.

"I did if I wanted to spend any time alone with you." He said, deciding not to tell her that he was only doing it because his parents had forced him to. Speaking of his parents…"And, just so you know, I don't usually hang out all night with my mom and dad."

"Your parents are great, Will." Gwen said, as if Will was somehow saying that they weren't. Well, they would be better if his father wasn't quite so closed minded, but they were still pretty awesome. After all, none of them had decided to give up their job as a parent and become a supervillain. "I'm so glad they're coming to homecoming." She smiled at Will and Will resisted the urge to shy away. "Now, if I could only find someone to go with."

"You don't have a date for homecoming?" Will asked in surprise. He didn't find her attractive personally, but he knew that there had to be other people who did. It wasn't as if she was hideous.

"Well, I've gotten a few offers, but...I turned them down." Gwen explained. "I'm just waiting for the right guy."

"Oh." Will said. He supposed that made sense. If she had someone she wanted to go with in mind, obviously she wouldn't say yes to anyone.

"You, Will." Gwen said bluntly, stepping up the stairs to her house.

"Me?" Will repeated skeptically. He stepped forward, prepared to tell her that he already had a date with Layla, and even if he didn't, he was still in a relationship, but the door swung open. Gwen looked back with surprise.

"Oh, hi, Daddy." Gwen said. "Bye, Will."

"Bye." Will said hesitantly, noticing how the man was glaring at him.

"You're not that boy with the six arms, are you?" The man asked. Will shook his head quickly.

"No, sir." He held out his arms as proof. "Just two."

"Well, keep them to yourself." Gwen's father said.

"Yes, sir." Will promised. He did not have any issue in making sure that he did not touch Gwen. "Good night, sir."

The man nodded and then disappeared behind the closed door. Will stared at it for a moment, wondering what to do. Gwen didn't think that he was going with her, did she?

The door opened again and Gwen stepped out, pressing a kiss to Will's cheek. Will resisted the urge to wipe it off and caught her wrist when she turned to go inside again.

"I'm in a relationship, Gwen," He said. Gwen stared at him with shock that was, quite frankly, insulting. Will barreled on courageously. "And I have a date to Homecoming."

"Okay," She said quietly. Her face was blank, and that was all she said as she stepped back into the house. Will stared at the door before walking down the driveway.

A thought suddenly struck him. He was _free_. Hopefully she would be embarrassed or angry enough to never bother Will again.

"Yes!"

Will jumped, filled with the sweet taste of freedom, and slung around the telephone pole twice before letting go. The lights blinked and then it slowly started to lean towards the ground.

"Oh, man!" Will cried. The light banged down on the ground and bounced once.

Will ran.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.

A/N: This is another chapter of the past, in building the way Will and Warren meet and start their relationship. Also, Will does not know that Warren is the Warren Peace, the son of Baron Battle yet at the beginning. Just thought you ought to know.

Chapter 15

Will wasn't quite sure what he was doing. He didn't exactly make it a habit to return to places where he had been beaten to a pulp.

But then again, the places where he was usually beat to a pulp didn't have such quite cute boys.

He milled around in front of the restaurant, until he saw somebody staring strangely at him, and then went in. He didn't want to be told off about loitering. He had a feeling that would not impress Warren very much.

The restaurant was bustling with activity and Will was quickly ushered towards an empty table. He sat down without protesting, even though he hadn't really been planning on getting anything eat. He stared over the menu that had been shoved into his hands, trying to locate Warren.

"What can I get you?" A voice, the very voice whose owner he had been trying to locate, asked. Will looked up and turned to find Warren staring down at him.

"What's good?" Will asked, rather than admitting that he hadn't even looked at the menu yet.

"My family owns the restaurant, I'm going to tell you everything is good, even if some of it isn't," Warren pointed out. He squinted down Will. "I thought you said that you didn't like Chinese food."

"Uh, yeah," Will said, vaguely remembering mentioning that when he had been holding a paper towel to his bleeding nose. "I may have said that." He fell silent, wondering what he should do now. His stomach felt like it was in knots and his palms were sweating so much that the menu felt slick in his hands.

"So why are you here?" Warren asked, raising a single eyebrow. Will chuckled nervously.

"Funny story, actually," He said, stalling. When he found that he couldn't come up with anything to say instead of the truth, he hung his head shamefully. "I came to see you,"

"Well, you don't have to eat crappy Chinese food to do that," Warren said, flipping his note pad shut. "I'm off in five minutes, and we'll go somewhere else."

"Are you sure?" Will asked. Warren raised a sardonic eyebrow.

"I don't have any desire to eat crappy Chinese food either." He said. Will nodded, flushing slightly, and watching as Warren walked away. As promised, Warren was back in five minutes, apron traded for a leather jacket. Will's heart beat irregularly at his return and he stood up quickly, nearly tripping when his foot caught on the table's leg. Warren snickered.

"Where are we going?" Will asked as they left the restaurant, his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Where do you want to go?" Warren asked. The look on his face was completely opposite from the look he was pulling off with his red streaked hair and leather jacket.

"There's a new comic book store open," Will suggested. He had always liked comic books. It was interesting to see the differences in the make believe world with the one that he actually lived in.

"You're a nerd, aren't you?" Warren asked, sending a look at Will. Will flushed and shrugged. Warren snorted, bumping his shoulder with his. "Let's go, nerd,"

* * *

Will walked next to Warren, biting his lip to keep himself from beaming. Though they had started their outing with at least a foot of space between them, now with each step their arms brushed, and Will knew that if he started smiling like a crazy person there was no way that Warren was going to miss it.

But it was hard.

Today had been like a dream. Scrawny little Will was hanging out with a gorgeous, mature boy, and the boy, though he made snarky remarks, seemed to be enjoying it. Not as much as Will was, probably, but still enjoying it.

They pulled up in the alley way where Will had previously been beaten and Will stared up at Warren. He was nearly a whole head taller than Will, Will noted with irritation. His parents kept telling him that he was going to grow, but so far it hadn't happened. _Layla_ was taller than him.

Will bit his lip again, staring up at Warren. He didn't want to say goodbye, but he knew that just standing around in the alley without saying anything would probably not appeal to Warren.

"For God's sakes, Armstrong, stop doing that," Warren rolled his eyes. Will gazed at him with confusion and Warren rolled his eyes again, raising a hand and putting it on Will's lip, loosening it away from his teeth. Will suddenly felt very warm and it was only with great restraint that he resisted the urge to go cross-eyed to see Warren's fingers where they were touching him. "Stop biting your lip."

"Why?" Will asked, speaking into Warren's hand.

"Because it's driving me insane," Warren said. "All I want to do is..." He trailed off, looking at his fingers.

"Is?" Will prompted.

"Is this," Warren said softly, moving forward and pressing his lips against Will's.

Will had kissed someone before. When they were little, Layla and Will used to kiss all the time when playing house. And even when they had been in fifth grade it had still seemed like they were playing, because Will felt nothing in that kiss.

Those kisses were nothing like this kiss.

This kiss was mind-blowing. It was short and chaste and sweet, but there was no doubt in Will's mind that it would be one of the best kisses he would ever receive.

"Oh," Will said when they broke away. "I don't know your last name," He admitted.

"Peace," Warren said, taking a step back.

"Warren Peace," Will repeated, trying to remember where he had heard that before. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had heard it before. Suddenly he remembered.

Oh.

Warren Peace as in Baron Battle's son. His first kiss was with his father's worst enemy's son.

"Is that an issue?" Warren asked, raising an eyebrow. Will shot him a look.

"Do you plan on killing me or becoming a villain?" Will asked.

"It's not in my agenda book," Warren said. Will shrugged.

"Then I don't care. It was your dad, not you," Will said. Warren was still watching him carefully, as if he expected Will to call up his father and tell him to arrest him. So Will did the only thing he could do.

He bit his lip to see if it would work again.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.

A/N: This is where it really will become more AU. You read how Will's reaction was different than the way it was in the movie when Gwen asked him to go with her, so that whole thing will be different. Hence this chapter. Prepare for Alternate Universe-ness.

Chapter Sixteen

Will jogged ahead to the bus stop, where Layla was waiting. The morning air was brisk, making each breath billow out in front of Will in a cloud. Layla glanced at him with a displeased expression and Will slowed cautiously.

"You're not gonna believe what happened last night." He informed her, shoving his cold hands into the pocket of his standard Armstrong colored jacket. Layla held up a fortune cookie in reply and Will took it carefully, wondering if it was safe to eat. "Oh. I love these." He said, instead of asking if he was going to survive it. He knew that once Layla got into a mood you had to proceed with utmost caution. He split open the cookie and extracted the fortune. "Your loyalties are clear when it comes to friends." He read. He glanced at Layla, who smirked at him. "I texted you that I couldn't come. I said that I was sorry."

"I know," Layla said simply.

"So why are you looking at me like you want to kill me?" Will asked. He could have sworn last night that she had said that she forgave him, but it seemed like right now that was not the case.

Tricky women.

"Actually, just the opposite." Layla said, brightening. "I have something to tell you."

"Yeah?" Will asked gingerly. Layla nodded, her red hair swaying slightly in the breeze.

"Yeah, but you first." Layla requested.

"Okay. It's about homecoming." Will said.

"Really?" Layla asked, looking shocked. "Me too."

"Gwen Grayson asked me." Will related, suppressing a shudder. "Can you believe it?"

"That's awesome!" Layla said enthusiastically. Will glanced at her. Surely she was being sarcastic? Will had been sure that she had shared his dislike for the technopath, but her voice sounded completely devoid of any sarcasm.

"It is?" He asked, wondering he had heard her correctly. Layla opened her mouth to speak again but the bus pulled up. Without looking back at him Layla climbed onto the bus.

"Morning," Ron greeted Will. Will smiled at him and followed Layla back to their usual seats in front of Zach and Ethan.

"I'm going too." Layla told Will as he sat down and strapped himself in. Will stared at her in confusion. Of course she was going too. They had been planning to go together since they had heard about the dance. "With Warren Peace."

"Warren Peace?" Will repeated numbly. "You can't be serious, Layla."

"Why not?" Layla asked, smiling smugly at the shocked look on Will's face. Will floundered for a second in shock before continuing, leaning towards her so that Ethan and Zach couldn't hear their conversation.

"Because he's _my_ boyfriend," Will reminded her in an angry undertone. "Plus, we promised each other that we were going to be going together to our first high school dance. When was this even decided?"

"Last night, the Paper Lantern." Layla said, raising her eyebrows. "And don't yell at me for breaking our promise. You broke it first. You said that Gwen Grayson asked you to go to the dance with her."

"I didn't say yes!" Will said, stating what he had thought to be obvious. This was clearly not what Layla was expecting, because she stared at him, her mouth making a perfect O.

"Oh," She said numbly. Will turned from her, staring straight ahead. He felt ridiculously betrayed. His best friend and his boyfriend were going to the dance together, leaving him dateless. "I'm sorry Will. We thought that you were going with Gwen Grayson, because you had been spending so much time with her."

"No more than I spend with you and Warren," Will said without looking at her. He huffed irritably. "And both of you know how much she terrifies me, why would I go to the school dance with her?"

Layla made a small sort of confused noise and Will fell silent again, staring ahead and pouting. He knew he was being slightly bratty, but it felt deserved. His boyfriend and best friend were going to the dance together. His boyfriend had stolen his date to the dance.

And his day only got better from there. Two of his teachers called on him to answer despite the fact that his hand was not raised and he got both of the answer incorrect. His locker had been jammed and he had slapped it in anger and dented it so much that he doubted it would ever open again. Lash and Speed had both glared at him from the hallway and tripped him, and this time there wasn't even a Warren to catch him.

And once he got to lunch he was instantly waylaid by Gwen. He stared at her in confusion, thinking that perhaps she had gone a bit mental and forgotten that he had rejected her, but she just spouted something about forgiveness and misunderstandings and how they could still be friends and manhandled him to her table.

To make matters worse, this was the time that the rest of his friends decided that they would sit with Warren. He was instantly jealous that they got to be that close to him while he was stuck way over here with Gwen.

One of the Pennys laughed loudly in his ear and he was forced to concede that his life sucked at the moment.

* * *

Will knocked on the door and it swung open, revealing Warren's mother.

"You look like you did not have a good day," She remarked mildly. Will laughed once in amusement and brushed past her, climbing the stairs to Warren's room.

"Hello grumpy," Warren said, raising his eyebrows as Will slammed the door open. Will stayed silent and climbed onto Warren's bed, flopping on top of him.

"Why are you going to the dance with Layla?" Will mumbled into Warren's shoulder. Warren shifted, jostling him slightly.

"What?" Warren asked. Will sighed into Warren's shoulder and then turned his head, meeting Warren's dark eyes.

"I said, why are you going to the dance with Layla?" He repeated himself sourly.

"You really are grumpy," Warren laughed, amused. Will scowled at him. "I'm going with Layla because she asked me and she looked sad and I figured that it was my civic duty as your boyfriend to make sure that your best friend had a date when you ditched her for a senior."

"I'm not going with Gwen," Will informed him, turning around and laying like a starfish across Warren. He tried to maintain his sour mood, even though the fact that Warren had did it for him did not pass him by. Warren laughed again, bouncing him up and down.

"I know that now," He said. "Layla came over all in a panic at lunch because she was afraid that she was going to cause a giant rift between us."

"I'm pretty sure she ships us," Will agreed. Warren made a little humming noise and one of his hands found its way to Will's hair, stroking through it. Will found himself relaxing against his will. He wanted to stay angry at them, dang it.

"Better now?" Warren asked. Will grunted, turning around and sitting up, straddling Warren's hip. Warren kissed him softly for a moment and then pulled back, examining Will's face.

"Better," Will admitted begrudgingly.

Warren always made it better.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and only some of the plot.

A/N: I reread my chapters a couple of days ago and I realized that there are some discrepancies. Sorry everybody. But just go with it, please. And thanks for all the great reviews. Please give me more, I love review more than anything in the world except hamburgers and my family, because hamburgers are great and it is kind of obligated to love your family.

Chapter 17

Will shifted against Warren, arching his head as Warren's lips sucked up and down his neck. Warren's hands held him securely by the hips, his body a long warm length underneath Will's, and Will allowed him a few more moments on his neck before he wriggled to rejoin their lips. He slipped his hands under Warren's shirt, tracing a hand over his warmed skin, and…

Someone knocked on the door.

Will was content to just ignore it, but Warren pulled away, sitting up without moving Will from his spot on his lap.

"I thought you said that your parents were going to be away." Warren said. Will felt his brow furrow.

"They are away." He said. Warren made a face and reached over, twitching the curtain from the window.

"It's Grayson," Warren growled. The hands that had been resting on the bare skin of Will's hips heated to an almost uncomfortable state and Will wiggled in displeasure. "Sorry." Warren said, ducking his head and pressing a kiss to Will's temple. "Why is she here?"

"I don't know," Will said, scooting off of Warren's lap. "She's insane."

There was a brief compatible silence as Will stared at Warren's lips and Warren watched Will stare at his lips and the door continued to be knocked upon.

"You should probably go answer the door," Warren said reluctantly. Will sighed and got off of his lap, going down the stairs.

"I'll be right back," Will called as he walked down the stairs, rearranging his clothes. He took a deep breath, prepping himself, and then opened the door. "Hi Gwen."

"Hi Will," She said calmly, as if she wasn't coming uninvited to someone's house.

"Did we have plans?" Will hinted. She smiled.

"Oh no, but I remember you said you wanted me to tutor you and I was free this afternoon!" Gwen said excitedly. Did she not even consider that _he_ was doing something? It was kind of rude. He did have a life. Gwen pushed her way past him and into the house. Will followed hurriedly after her as she went up the stairs and went to the door of his room.

"Hey, wait," He said, slamming a hand on the door when Gwen tried to open it. The door frame creaked and Will winced. "You can't go in there."

"Why not?" Gwen asked, giggling as if it were all a game. Will tried to think. He couldn't very well tell her that she couldn't go in because he had his secret boyfriend on his bed in there.

"It's dirty," He finally said. Gwen tittered again, the sound grating on Will's nerves, and opened the door before Will could react. He darted in, and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that Warren had found a way to hide himself. Will didn't know where he was, but he figured that the best way to go about this would to just get it over with. So he sat down on the bed, where it was still warm from where they had been making out earlier, and gestured for Gwen to sit down. She sat down next to him, and Will sighed.

"Let's start this then,"

* * *

"And is this the trigger." Will said blindly, grabbing something and feeling it. Gwen laughed and Will could have sworn she was closer than she had been before.

"No, that's the fusion device." She corrected. Will dropped it quickly and grabbed something else.

"Okay. Is...?" He felt the object he had picked up. "What's this?"

"That's my phone." Gwen said dryly, picking it out of his hand. The phone rang and Will slipped off the blindfold around his eyes. "Well. Super-strong and psychic." She sent him an impressed look. "Hello? Wait. Penny, I can't understand you when you're all talking at once."

Will shifted uncomfortably as she talked, letting his legs dangle from the bed. A hand grabbed his ankle and he nearly had a heart attack before he remembered that Warren was under his bed. Warren traced something into his ankle.

M-A-K-E-H-E-R-G-O.

Well, Will was trying. But she was like a bad cold. She just wouldn't go away.

"What's up?" He asked when Gwen was done on the phone, hoping it was something that required her to leave his house and never come back.

"Problem with the homecoming decorations." Gwen said, looking frazzled. "Penny forgot to order the fog machine, so I might have to build one myself." She sighed and pouted. "Think the committee could stop by?"

"Oh I don't know because, uh, my parents are on a distress call, and they won't be home till late." Will explained, silently adding that he had a boyfriend under his bed that would probably set the house on fire if she stayed any longer. "I'm not supposed to have anyone here."

"It's cool." Gwen said understandingly. Will sent an inner thanks to whatever higher power was helping him out, but she was still going. "I was just hoping we could spend a little more time together, but...I guess I'll just see you at school? Good night, Will."

Now, Will definitely did not like Gwen. But his mother had instilled good manners into him, and at heart he was a people pleaser, a pacifier. So he didn't mean to tell her she could stay, but then the words were just tumbling out of his mouth.

"Uh, I... If it's...Um, if it's only a few people." He said. "And it has to be a quick get together."

"Super." Gwen said, bouncing into a standing position and retrieving her phone again. Will was glad that she was distracted, because he heard, very clearly, Warren sigh beneath him.

* * *

"Brian! You're getting cheese all over the walls!" Will cried in horror. "Larry, do you have to be a two-ton rock right now? Please, just power down." Will turned away from the shrinking boy and stared at another horror. "Hey. Guys, guys, guys, guys. Guys, the floor!"

He rushed forward and grabbed the vase away from the boys tossing it back and forth. As he placed it carefully back on the mantle he spotted Gwen.

"Gwen!" He called angrily. "You said this was supposed to be homecoming committee."

"This is the homecoming committee." Gwen said. Will sent her a look. "Okay, okay, so a few extra people showed up. But, Will, you're popular! That's what happens!"

"Gwen, every kid in Hero class is here." Will pointed out. He felt his anger crackle under his skin. He had just wanted to spend a night on the couch, watching a movie with Warren and eating popcorn that Warren had made in his hands. "How am I going get this place cleaned up in time?" He shouted over the sudden influx of noise.

"Here, come with me." Gwen said, leaning closely and pulling him into his father's study. "Okay. So, what's on your mind?"

Will was really tempted to tell her the truth, about Warren, about his hate for her, about how he wanted none of this, but he hadn't gotten the okay from Warren to tell people about their relationship and he didn't want to do something that Warren wouldn't have wanted him to. So instead he made up something else that he thought of in that moment but was equally true.

"My friends." He said. "What about them?"

"They're all here." Gwen said innocently.

"No, their not." Will said bluntly. Gwen sighed.

"Oh. You mean the sidekicks." She said disappointedly.

"I think I'm just going call Zach and Layla, tell them to come over here because-"

"Will, you are such a nice guy." Gwen said, placing a hand on Will's arm. "But, honestly, do you think they'd have fun? With this crowd? I mean, don't you think they'd feel a little awkward?"

"No. I think they'd be okay." Will said dryly.

"Trust me." Gwen implored. "They'd be miserable. Could you go get me a diet caffeine-free orange soda?"

Will was tempted to tell her that he didn't want to do anything for her, but realized that he could make his escape and go check in with Warren, so he nodded and rushed out of the room. He climbed the stairs, avoiding the couple making out, and went to his room. He ducked in and pressed his hands against the door, not looking up.

"How angry are you at me?" Will finally asked.

"I'm not angry," Warren laughed. Unlike Layla, he sounded like he actually meant it. "I would be, if you were having fun, but I think you got the short end of the stick in this situation."

"I don't know how to get rid of them," Will admitted, going forward and laying across Warren, creating a cross with their bodies.

"Just tell them your parents are coming home," Warren suggested. Will pursed his lips.

"Do you think that they'll believe me?" He asked. He wasn't the best liar, Warren knew that.

"It's worth a try," Warren sighed. Will picked himself up, kissed Warren briefly, and then left his room again, strengthening his resolve. He could do this. He could do this. He could do this.

As he reached the bottom step he spotted a familiar red head.

"Layla. Layla! Layla! Layla!" He called excitedly, following after her even as she walked away. She turned around angrily when he reached her.

"Have fun with Gwen." She told him. "You two deserve each other."

She stalked off and Will stared after her. What had he done? Sure, he hadn't invited her, but that was because he was trying to get rid of people. She knew that he would have rather hung out with her than any other people, right?

He walked numbly to where Gwen was waiting, handing her the soda he had remembered.

"Oh, thanks, Will." She said, not looking up and therefore not seeing Will's anger.

"What did you say to Layla?" He asked. Gwen glanced up, startled at the fury in his voice. Will raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing." Gwen said innocently. "I mean, I just told her the truth. You're a hero, she's a sidekick. She was holding you back."

"What?" Will asked in shock, though he had heard her perfectly. "Why would you do that? Layla's been my best friend since first grade."

"You've got new friends now, and I think that you need to figure out whether you want to hang with us or with those losers." Gwen said. Will felt the anger he was holding back bubble up angrily. "Come on. Let's go."

"No, forget it. I'm not going anywhere with you, not now or not ever. Might as well just find yourself a new place for a party, Gwen." He said.

"You're dumping me?" She asked.

"We were never going out!" Will shouted.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa, let's get something straight, okay? You do not dump me! Not the night before the dance!" Gwen continued, her voice becoming shrill. Will smiled wryly.

"Sorry, Gwen. I, uh, just did." He said. "You're dumped!" He shouted, even though they had never been going out in the first place. He turned around, raising his voice even more. He just wanted everyone to leave, and to be able to go and talk to Warren, maybe pretend to fall asleep accidentally on him, even though it would be totally purposeful. "That's it. Everyone, out! This party is over!"

"Don't stop on our account." Someone said, deadpan. Will spun around anxiously and caught sight of his parents, their arms crossed around their chest as they glared angrily at him.

Falling asleep on Warren was definitely out of the question.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or plot. I just own this idea of a slashy "Sky High".

A/N: Last chapter everyone! Yay! I hope you all enjoyed this, and thank you for all the reviews. Also, I did not put in the big fight scene, because you all know what happens there and I am crap at writing fighting scenes.

Chapter 18

Will stared guiltily at his parents, wondering how he was going to get out of this. Neither of them looked very happy with him.

"Your father and I fly to Europe for two hours, and you throw a party?" His mother asked him. It was clearly a rhetorical question, and anger simmered in her voice. "Unbelievable."

"When I reach the count of three, I want everyone out of this house!" Will's dad shouted. He opened his mouth again and people scrambled, running out of the house as fast as they could. Will envied them. He wished that he could leave too.

When the house was completely empty Will's Dad turned to look at him.

"Son, I'm only going to ask you this..."

"Dad, I swear, I didn't plan this." Will interrupted. He suddenly felt exhausted, and he wished he could go back and do this all over again, refuse to allow Gwen into the house, and spend the night watching a movie with Warren. At least then Layla wouldn't be angry at him for no reason.

"All right. That's good enough for me." Will's dad said. Will stared curiously at him, wondering why he was being so lax. His father wasn't the harshest punisher, but he still doled out punishment where it was deserved. And though Will hadn't planned this party, he didn't know that, and Will was pretty sure that having a party while your parents weren't home was a big no-no.

"Hmm?" His mother turned to look at her husband, clearly having the same thoughts as Will. "Steve, I have got half a mind not to let him go to homecoming."

"That's fine." Will assured her. He hadn't really wanted to go now that Layla was going with Warren anyway. "I'm not going anyway."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." Will's dad said, holding his hands up in the standard hold your horses way." Your mom said she had 'half a mind.' Will, you have to go to the homecoming dance!" His father urged. Will stared at him, wondering why his dad was so intent on it. Then he remembered. The award. His father was a sucker for awards. "We all have to because we're introducing the world to the Stronghold Three, the greatest family of superheroes mankind has ever known."

Will stared at him and then shook his head. He didn't care about any award. Layla was angry at him, and that made the whole world seem exhausting. Even when he didn't have powers, he had Layla. And now she hated him, and he didn't even know why.

"Did something happen, Will?" Will's mother, full of woman intuition, asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." Will said, rather than telling her that he had no wish to go to a dance where Layla, who was angry at him, could touch his boyfriend but he couldn't. Because he couldn't do that.

Well, actually, yeah, he could.

"Well, we're going to talk about it." Will's father said, interrupting his revelation about how it was time to come out of the closet. That was fine, actually, because he wanted to check with Warren first, and if he continued to think about it he would probably blurt it out. "Because we promised Gwen we'd go to the dance. And when a Stronghold makes a promise, son, that promise is kept!"

Will sighed, staring at his father. It was all so obviously about him wanting to get an award, not teaching his child life lessons, and Will was sick of it. He just wanted his father to accept him, accept what he did and what he was.

"I promise you, Dad, I'm not going." He assured his father. He enjoyed his parents' looks of disbelief before stomping up the stairs. He had a Warren to sneak out.

* * *

"Hello?" Will spoke into his phone. "Layla? Pick up, Layla. Pick up, pick up, pick up."

The phone buzzed, signaling that she did not, in fact, pick up, and he sighed.

"Fine, don't pick up." He said, talking over the automated voice telling him how to leave a message. "It's me. I'm going to the Paper Lantern. If you get this message, meet me there."

He hung up the phone and stared at it for a second before tucking it into his jacket. Hopefully she would get the message, and she would come, and then he could apologize for whatever he did, and then he could share his coming out revelation.

* * *

"Layla, Layla, just pick up." Will groaned into his phone. "In case you didn't get my earlier messages, I'm at the Paper Lantern, and I-"

"Message box full." The phone interrupted him. Will growled and dropped the phone onto the table before allowing his head to follow. He lay there for a second, wondering how often they cleaned the tables, and jerked up when he felt a hand run through his hair. To his surprise it was Warren, though Will had been sure that he said he was going home after he had left his house.

"What are you doing here?" Warren asked him.

"I'm, uh, looking for Layla." He explained. "What're you doing here?"

"I picked up a couple extra hours after you sent me home," Warren explained, sitting down across from Will after a quick glance at the people behind the counter. Will nodded in understanding and tangled his foot with Warren's under the table.

"I don't suppose you would know where Layla is?" Will asked, though he knew Warren didn't.

"How should I know?" Warren asked, his foot sliding up Will's calf.

"I don't know," Will shrugged. He sighed, looking around, and then looked back at Warren. "I'm thinking of coming out soon."

"Good. I'm tired of not being able to touch you at school." Warren said simply. Will stared at him.

"You know, we could have come out as a couple before now if you wanted to," Will reminded him. Warren shrugged.

"I knew you weren't ready and I don't mind waiting for you," Warren said. Will beamed at him. "Stop smiling like that Stronghold, you look creepy."

"Yeah, yeah," Will rolled his eyes. "Nothing you say can hide the fact that you're really a softie, Warren."

"I am not a softie," Warren growled. "You're so dumb."

Will decided not to take offense to that, mostly because Warren had just said something really romantic and also because their legs were still tangled under the table.

* * *

"We're taking off now, hon." Will's mother told him. Will looked up from his self-contemplating. "Still time to change your mind and come with us."

"Nah, I don't think so." Will shook his head. Layla was still angry at him, and now that he had found the courage to come out, he couldn't seem to control the urge to tell his parents. But he didn't want to do it at the dance, in public, and ruin the other people's nights, should his father react badly.

"Mom, you ever feel like you messed something up so bad that you'll never be able to fix it?" He asked. He didn't know what he did wrong, but he must have done something, because Layla still wasn't speaking with him.

"People make mistakes, Will. That's what high school's about." His mother soothed, laying a hand on his shoulder. She laughed shortly. "Heck, that's what life's about. The key is to learn from them."

"I hope my friend sees it that way." Will sighed.

"If someone is a true friend, you'd be surprised at how understanding they can be." His mother assured him. Will smiled at her.

"Thanks." He said. She smiled back, and for a second Will was young again, and his mother's smile could fix everything.

"Do me a favor?" She asked. Will nodded and she pushed a book that Will realized was the yearbook into his hands. "Put this away for me. I caught your father sneaking it out under his cape. He's convinced that everyone wants to reminisce with him."

"Will do." Will nodded. She kissed his forehead.

"Love you." She reminded him. Will stared after her for a second and then got off of the pool table, walking to the table. He set down the book and flipped it open, passing Warren's father posing for "Oklahoma". He paused on the headshots and furrowed his brow, going back to the page before it.

"That's weird." He mumbled to himself. He could have sworn he just saw Gwen. He looked at the picture. It really did look like Gwen. He turned to the other page, staring at the picture.

"Gwen?" He whispered. But how could that be? Unless it was somebody who looked like Gwen. But the only person that could be is- "Oh, no. Oh, no." He said. He turned, already knowing what he was going to see.

The Pacifier was gone.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." He said. "I gotta get to Sky High."

* * *

"Thanks again for the lift, Ron," Will said, preparing himself. He didn't know what he was going to face once he went inside the school, but he prayed that everyone he loved was okay. "Now, if I'm not back in twenty minutes…"

"Come in after you." Ron interrupted him. Will shook his head.

"I was going to say go get help." He said. Ron's face fell, and Will almost felt bad, but if he didn't come out, what he was facing in there was definitely more than only the two of them could handle. He jumped off of the bus and sprinted up the stairs, skidding through the hallways. They were completely empty, which was concerning. He ran around, feeling like an idiot but not sure what else he was supposed to do, and spotted a glowing vent. He yanked on it, and like a magic trick, his friends popped out.

"'Sup, kid?" Zach greeted Will jovially. Will breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously it was only Layla who was angry at him.

Warren stepped out next and for a second Will completely forgot that there was a crazy person with an dangerous weapon in the school. Warren looked _good_ in that suit.

"Focus Stronghold," Warren smirked, amused. Will shook his head, focusing.

"You're never going to believe this." He informed them quickly. "Gwen-"

"Is Royal Pain's daughter." Warren filled in. Will nodded.

"Yeah, and she-"

"Stole the Pacifier." Ethan finished.

"Right." Will nodded. Layla carried on.

"She turned everybody into babies, including your parents." She said. Will closed his mouth and stared at her for a second, comprehending.

"Okay. That I didn't know." He said, shaking his head.

"This is even more than the great Will Stronghold can handle." Layla said snidely. Will nearly jumped back from the venom in her voice.

"She's right." Will agreed, because that was what you did when Layla was angry. You agreed with her. "It's going to take all of us."

"All of who?" Ethan asked. "You and Warren? The rest of us are only sidekicks."

"Just because you have powers that doesn't make you a hero." Will shook his head, thinking of his father. But then Layla turned to him, and he supposed that he was onto something, so he continued. "Sometimes it just makes you a jerk. Makes me a jerk. I guess what I'm trying to say is..." He trailed off, hoping someone would help him out, because he really didn't know what he was trying to say.

"We get it." Layla thankfully interrupted. "You've been a jerk."

"Layla." Will said, filled with relief that she had forgiven him. "In case my homecoming date ends up killing me tonight, I just want you to know..."

"Oh, little Stronghold is going to confess his love," Penny interrupted. Will actually wasn't, at least not in the way that Penny was thinking, but she continued on. "Isn't that sweet?" She asked her group of lackies. They nodded dumbly. "I hate sweet!"

"You guys are a part of this too?" Will asked. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Go take care of Gwen." Warren told Will, placing a hand on the small of his back and pushing him behind them. "We'll handle these clowns. Go!"

Will did, but only after placing a kiss on Warren's lips. He was done hiding and he figured that it would shock the enemy enough to give them a couple of minutes advantage.

* * *

"And now, so many years later, that plan is complete." Gwen said as Will crept towards the stairs carefully. "My only regret: That this may be the finest supervillain speech ever given, and you don't even know what I'm saying."

"But I do." Will said, standing up. Gwen gave him a startled look, his arms tightening around the baby in her arms. Will stared closer and realized with horror that it was his father.

Because that wasn't weird.

"Look. I'm sorry that my parents destroyed your mom. Now put my dad down." He said, trying to keep his voice full of authority.

"No one could defeat Royal Pain." Gwen snarled. "When the Pacifier exploded I wasn't destroyed. I was merely turned into a baby. Stitches took me away and raised me as his daughter."

"Daddy's little girl." The creepy creature next to Gwen chittered. She growled at him.

"I told you never to call me that!" She screamed. Will stared at her, realizing that she was even more psychotic than he had originally thought. Gwen simpered. "That's right. Royal Pain wasn't my mother! Royal Pain is me!"

"Oh, my God." Will cried in horror. "I made out with an old lady."

Which, apparently, was not what Gwen wanted to hear, because she fly angrily at him.

* * *

"People, if you've already been de-Pacified please find your clothes, grab a baby, and report to the Science Lab." Principal announced as Will walked painfully towards where his parents were waiting by his friends.

"Mom? Dad? Guys?" He got their attention. "I have something to say."

"Honey, you can't blame yourself." His mother interrupted.

"'Course not. How were you supposed to know your girlfriend was a psychopath?" His father agreed. Will was tempted to point out that he had, actually, seen that she was crazy, but that was not what he was doing right now.

"No, that's not it." He shook his head. "I'm gay."

"What?" His father asked. Will didn't really blame him for his shock, because they probably thought that he was going somewhere else with this, but Will had almost died, and he was ready for this secret to stop being a secret.

"I'm gay," Will said with stronger conviction. "I've had a boyfriend for over a year,"

"Who?" Will's father asked. Will smiled and walked towards Warren, gladly taking his hand. Will's father stared at them in shock and opened his mouth. Will braced himself for judgement, but Mr. Boy walked forward, interrupting them.

"Excuse me. Steve? Josie? Even though it appears Gwen only came up with this award as a way to lure you to the dance and your ultimate doom, still it's inscribed, so…" He waved the award vaguely at them.

"I'd be honored to accept this "Hero of the Year" award." Will's father said.

"But I'm afraid this doesn't belong to us. It belongs to them. The sidekicks. I mean, hero support." His mother fumbled through the words.

"Why don't we just call them what they really are, Josie?" His father suggested, smiling warmly at them all, even Will and Warren. "Heroes." He handed the award to Zach, who held it reverently. Mr. Boy turned to leave and Will's father caught his arm. "Oh, and, Jonathan? Whatever you're teaching them, keep teaching them it."

* * *

"I have de-Pacified all the babies and destroyed that horrible weapon forever." Professor Medulla announced. "Let's boogie!"

Warren sent Will a look and Will shrugged, sliding his hands onto Warren's shoulders. Warren rolled his eyes but complied, placing his hands on Will's hips. They swayed past Zach and Magenta.

"This is so sweet, I could hurl." Magenta remarked, loud enough for them to hear.

"Tell me about it." Zach agreed.

"Do you wanna dance?" Magenta asked him.

"Yes! I mean, yeah." Zach said coolly. "Yeah."

Will and Warren continued on, swaying past Will's parents. Will's father made eye contact as they passed. He looked slightly pale, but he smiled encouragingly at Will and raised a thumb up.

Will smiled into Warren's chest, overcome with happiness. He had a feeling that compared to homecoming, the rest of the year was going to be pretty boring. But that was okay. Already so much had changed. He had gone from having no powers to having two, to being in the closet to dancing with his boyfriend in plain view of his parents, and everything that had seemed to be the most important thing in the world now seemed to be an inconsequential worries.

But, hey, that's high school.


End file.
